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Lower Merion gas leaf blower ban: hundreds of complaints, fines, $83K in enforcement costs
Fox 29(Philadelphia) ^ | 09/21/2026 | Chris O'Connell

Posted on 09/22/2026 4:35:31 AM PDT by Kid Shelleen

Lower Merion Township's ban on gas-powered leaf blowers is generating hundreds of complaints, dozens of fines and heated debates among residents, according to township officials. Township employees say they are struggling to keep up with the volume of violations and are considering additional spending to enforce the controversial rules.

---SNIP--- Township officials say the ban depends on resident reporting, which has led to scenarios where "one neighbor has reported another neighbor and now they are quibbling about this and they are feeling they are reporting on one another," said Chris McGuire, commissioner for Lower Merion Township. Residents are asked to provide video or photos of offenders.

(Excerpt) Read more at fox29.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: mexicanbagpipes
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Fighting global warming climate change one leaf blower at a time. (Lower Merion is a boojie blue suburb bordering Philadelphia)
1 posted on 09/22/2026 4:35:31 AM PDT by Kid Shelleen
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To: Kid Shelleen

Move to Upper Merion Township.


2 posted on 09/22/2026 4:37:40 AM PDT by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: Libloather

+It is somewhat entertaining watching climate-change nitwits fighting amongst each other. LOL!


3 posted on 09/22/2026 4:42:09 AM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: Kid Shelleen

Who could possibly ever have expected this would become cause celeb for a bunch of suburban Karens? Shocker.


4 posted on 09/22/2026 4:44:41 AM PDT by Merrick (It's a car - that runs on water, man.)
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To: hal ogen

If I lived there I’d find a simple solution. Pull the muffler off the electric generator, fire it up in the yard, and power an electric leaf blower.
Done.


5 posted on 09/22/2026 4:46:14 AM PDT by Donbue
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To: Kid Shelleen

Bunch of racists, banning the Mexican bagpipes.


6 posted on 09/22/2026 4:47:28 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack
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To: Kid Shelleen

I get it. I’ve had one for 30 years and I use it but I really dislike the sound they make. I prefer the analog version made by Ames and I can use it early in the morning and it won’t bend the neighbors out of shape. In fact, last year I finally wore out the rake I purchased in 1995. The new one should last me until I’m almost 100. I wish there were industrious kids who wanted to make some cash raking or shoveling snow, but no luck.


7 posted on 09/22/2026 4:48:52 AM PDT by KingLudd
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To: Kid Shelleen

Such a ridiculous regulation causes two effects:

1) Leave the leaves where they’re left. Leftists love left leaves.

2) Plug in your electric blower, which burns coal from the PA mines. (The Welsh used to come to America to work in those mines, the most famous of which is probably Hubert Parry, whose hymns are found in non-nondenominational hymnals.)

[Yes, he enjoys both alliteration and double negatives.]


8 posted on 09/22/2026 4:54:45 AM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: KingLudd
In fact, last year I finally wore out the rake I purchased in 1995.

And therein lies the rake's progress.

9 posted on 09/22/2026 4:56:00 AM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: Kid Shelleen

I love to do lawn work on my small property.
I used to have gas yard implements, but eventually switched to electrical.
On my small place, the electrical yard implements are actually great.
They start every time, no smelly fluids, spills, oils.

But for the heavy users, professionals, large property owners, etc. that not feasible.

And obviously, heavy handed government, fighting gas blowers instead murderers, that drives me crazy.


10 posted on 09/22/2026 4:59:48 AM PDT by AZJeep (sane )
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To: KingLudd

I myself in my retirement have decided to give up the blower and mulch my leaves with my mower.

It works well.

I live in a township, no leaf pickup, so I had to take the leaves back in my woods to compost. That made for a lot of work.

Plus I have a lot of oaks that hold their leaves for most of the winter, despite high winds and frigid temperatures.

I still have some leaves on the ground in the spring but they are quickly mulched when the ground gets dry enough to support mower.


11 posted on 09/22/2026 5:00:22 AM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminisheRs the human spirit.)
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To: Kid Shelleen

I could almost understand this based on noise abatement, but if the concern is the amount of CO2 generated by these tiny 2-cycle engines, it is minuscule compared to anything else, including the emissions from politicians.


12 posted on 09/22/2026 5:03:12 AM PDT by omni-scientist
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To: KingLudd

I’ve got a rake almost that old. I don’t use it though; I lost the instruction booklet.


13 posted on 09/22/2026 5:06:49 AM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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To: KingLudd
" industrious kids"

They don't make them any more.

14 posted on 09/22/2026 5:08:54 AM PDT by FroggyTheGremlim (Hail to Pitt!)
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To: KingLudd
I wish there were industrious kids who wanted to make some cash raking or shoveling snow, but no luck.

Find a local homeschooling group. They're out there, and their kids want to work.
15 posted on 09/22/2026 5:16:44 AM PDT by Antoninus (Confusion and disorder to the Left.)
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To: FroggyTheGremlim
They don't make them any more.

They absolutely do. You just have to know where to find them. :-) My kids have more babysitting/yardwork gigs than they can handle.
16 posted on 09/22/2026 5:18:23 AM PDT by Antoninus (Confusion and disorder to the Left.)
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To: Kid Shelleen

You get what you vote for.


17 posted on 09/22/2026 5:19:02 AM PDT by brownsfan (We are already on the slippery slope.)
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To: Kid Shelleen

Looks like they are becoming the Stassi there.


18 posted on 09/22/2026 5:22:32 AM PDT by packrat35 (“When discourse ends, violence begins.” – Charlie Kirk, and they killed him anyway)
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To: Antoninus

“Find a local homeschooling group.”

Brilliant!!! Thank you.


19 posted on 09/22/2026 5:23:01 AM PDT by KingLudd
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To: Antoninus

Facebook/Marketplace might be a good place to rent a couple of local kids.


20 posted on 09/22/2026 5:25:16 AM PDT by mowowie
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