The New York state Legislature this week passed a bill that would provide incentives for for institutions that purchase electric lawn equipment.
The legislation, pushed by state Sen. Liz Krueger and State Assemblymember Steven Otis, would create a rebate program for the purchase of electric lawn care equipment by landscaping companies and government institutions like schools. It passed the state Assembly on Monday and the state Senate on Tuesday.
The purpose of the program “is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and reduce noise pollution by promoting the adoption of quieter, zero-emission landscaping equipment,” according to the bill text.
Eligible equipment will be new, has not been used or previously owned, and is purchased or leased from a storefront or online retailer, and includes as walking and riding lawn mowers and lawn mower attachments, lawn edgers and trimmers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, leaf vacuums, mulchers, chippers, chainsaws, pole saws, augers, cultivators and tillers and snow blowers.
Corded electric equipment, reel mowers or tractors used to pull other lawn care devices would not be eligible.
The measure has been attempted in the Legislature before. It would now have to be delivered to Gov. Kathy Hochul for consideration.