Minnesota to try and ban gas powered equipment

[gstrom99]

I wasn't sure where to post this, since it covers many of our tools:

Two Minnesota liberals introduce legislation to ban non-electric lawn equipment by January 1, 2025

Yesterday, two liberal lawmakers, Representative Jerry Newton (D-Coon Rapids) and Representative Heather Edelson (D-Edina), introduced new legislation

www.americanexperiment.org

Yesterday, two liberal lawmakers introduced new legislation that would adopt a California-style ban on the sale of new gas-powered lawn equipment in Minnesota by January 1, 2025. The bill applies to lawnmowers, leaf blowers, hedge clippers, chainsaws, lawn edgers, string trimmers, and brush cutters if the engine is smaller than 25 horsepower.

According to Bob Vila’s website, this would effectively outlaw any push-mower that is gas-powered, and it would impact most riding lawnmowers, which use engines topping out at 24 horsepower, as well.

While electric leaf blowers or hedge clippers may work fine for urban and suburban dwellers, these tools are entirely insufficient for anyone who needs to do serious work out in the country. Felling trees or cutting firewood on a wood lot with a battery-powered electric chainsaw? Give me a break.

This legislation wisely leaves snowblowers off the list of contraband, but its introduction demonstrates that urban and suburban liberals have no idea how rural Minnesotans live their lives, and it suggests that they don’t care to learn.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Thanks, California.

 

[TheMan419]

Interesting they define the engine as being one where the fuel air mixture is ignited by a spark. So arguably diesel is exempt.

Interestingly standards allow lawn mowers to be up to 25 HP. So I would expect a lot of 25 HP mowers to come on the market if these kinds of laws proliferate. Or maybe they switch to diesel?

There clearly needs to be an AG exemption to this kind of thing.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Interesting they define the engine as being one where the fuel air mixture is ignited by a spark. So arguably diesel is exempt.

Interestingly standards allow lawn mowers to be up to 25 HP. So I would expect a lot of 25 HP mowers to come on the market if these kinds of laws proliferate. Or maybe they switch to diesel?

There clearly needs to be an AG exemption to this kind of thing.

You read the bit about horsepower backwards I believe.

 

[/pine]

Would be interesting to see what companies those particular legislators are invested in...!

 

[Alan W.]

I hope the 26 hp push mowers will be self propelled.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Get a rope.

 

[RustyA]

Funny part is Toro headquarters is in Minnesota. Article I read included diesel power so basically any small tractor would be above 25hp and tier 4. Bad for MN dealers, good for WI, IA, ND and SD dealers business.

 

[gstrom99]

I'd like to see the 26hp leaf blower.

 

[RustyA]

Proposed bill would ban future sale of fuel-powered lawn, garden equipment in Minnesota
WITN
(unknown)
By Ben Lewer
Published: Feb. 16, 2023 at 4:51 PM CST|Updated: 23 hours ago
ST. PAUL, MN. (Northern News Now) - A new bill introduced into the Minnesota House would prohibit the sale of non-electric lawn equipment after 2025.

Rep. Jerry Newton (DFL - Coon Rapids) and Rep. Heather Edelson (DFL - Edina) co-authored the bill, which was introduced last Monday.

The bill would require all new lawn and garden equipment sold in Minnesota after January 1, 2025, to be powered by electricity.

According to the bill, “lawn and garden equipment” would include lawnmowers, leaf blowers, hedge clippers, chainsaws, lawn edgers, string trimmers, or brush cutters that use below 19 kilowatts or 25 horsepower.


Rep. Newton and Edelson also introduced a bi