We Are Ruled By Idiots - Minnesota Legislators Want to Ban Lawnmowers With "Spark Ignition" Engines. Dare We Tell Them About Diesels?
Imitating a recently enacted law in California, two Minnesota legislators have introduced a bill that would ban "the sale of nonelectric powered lawn and garden equipment." Unfortunately, state Representatives Jerry Newton and Heather Edelson don’t know much about how things like motors and engines, and maybe even English, work.
Unlike a lot of legislation these days, HF1715 is brief and to the point. Perhaps too brief, but we’ll get to that in a second. Here’s the text of the proposed bill:
A bill for an act relating to environment; prohibiting the sale of nonelectric powered lawn and garden equipment; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 325F.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
[325F.187] FOSSIL FUEL POWERED LAWN AND GARDEN
EQUIPMENT; PROHIBITION.(a) On and after January 1, 2025, new lawn and garden equipment sold, offered for sale, or distributed in or into Minnesota must be powered solely by electricity.
(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given:(1) "lawn and garden equipment" means any of the following types of equipment powered by a spark ignition engine rated at or below 19 kilowatts or 25 gross horsepower:
(i) lawnmower;
(ii) leaf blower;
(iii) hedge clipper;
(iv) chainsaw;
(v) lawn edger;
(vi) string trimmer; or
(vii) brushcutter; and(2) "spark ignition engine" means an internal combustion engine in which the air-fuel mixture is ignited by a spark.
EFFECTIVE DATE.
This section is effective the day following final enactment.
This law would effectively ban just about all fossil fuel powered lawn and gardening equipment, or so the bill’s author’s believe. While the law defines “lawn and garden equipment” and “spark ignition engine”, it fails to define “powered solely by electricity.” Unless you are using disposable AA batteries and the like, nothing is powered “solely” by electricity, and even in the case of those double or triple As, they’re ultimately powered by chemistry. Just about all the electricity that we use to charge battery powered equipment is supplied by the grid, which is powered by a variety of sources, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, hydroelectric, wind, and geothermal.
Come to think of it, unless they are exempted because the bill defines lawn and garden equipment as spark ignition engine powered, it seems to me that “powered solely by electricity” would necessarily also prohibit the use of a manual push mower like the classic Scotts Silent reel mower. I suppose the bill’s authors would argue that “nonelectric powered” means “powered but not by electricity,” but I believe this is one of those “Let's eat grandma” vs. “Let's eat, grandma” cases of a missing comma changing the meaning. It seems to me that “Nonelectric, powered lawn..” would express Newton and Edelson’s intended meaning more specifically.
The meme of following an electric lawnmower with a gas fired generator in a wheelbarrow (like an F-150 Lightning with one in the bed) might not actually run afoul of the proposed law any more than charging it from a wall socket. As long as the ultimate motive force in the equipment is an electric motor, even an onboard generator shouldn’t violate the law any more than charging from a wall socket. Of course, getting a politician or government bureaucrat to agree with that rock-solid logic might be an issue.
Oddly, the law only covers equipment with an internal combustion engine in which the fuel-air mixture is ignited by spark ignition. Unlike Reps Newton and Edelson, if you’re reading this you probably know a thing or two about cars and trucks and you probably are thinking, what about compression ignition, i.e. diesel engines, which have no spark plugs?
Well, since diesel engines are not “spark ignition” engines, they’re probably not covered by this law. Yep, smelly, particulate emitting diesel engines are exempt from this law. Should we tell Newton and Edelson?
This law seems draconian to me .
I used to have a small back lawn, small enough that a plastic 110VAC powered "Mo Joe" mower was fine .
I remember many places with huge yards / acreage, how the hell are they supposed to more the golf course or whatever ? .
I live in strange California and have been watching the new new HONDA lawn mowers come into my favorite junkyards under the 'California mower scrappage law' for some years now .
-Nate
Thankfully, the proposed bill just bans the sale and not the use. I'm sure that clause will be added later.
I have business contacts in this industry who do business in this state. They would probably shrug their shoulders about the proposed legislation since they distribute full lines of both gas- and electric-powered outdoor power equipment. While they likely opposed the bill, it would do nothing but help their business in the short term if it was passed. In fact, the proposed legislation is probably already being used to get reluctant dealers to commit to stocking the electrics. There has been strong momentum in the industry for years already. Customers need little convincing.
I currently own three, handheld, battery powered lawn tools: a mower, trimmer, and blower. I made this leap into the battery realm about four years ago after an unfortunate collision with a mower blade and a hidden rock. Why did I choose battery-powered equipment to replace my trusty, old Cub Cadet push mower?
a) I have a small property on which to use the equipment.
b) I battled with the results of previous legislative do-goodery in the form of ethanol fuels. I rebuilt two carbs before switching to buying pure gas which requires a 15-mile round trip to procure. Gas is literally messier.
c) NVH Noise, vibration and harshness. While not silent, battery-powered equipment is quieter and smoother.
The bottom line: I like the choice that I made to go battery-powered for the hand-held equipment for my needs. I mow my property and now my elderly neighbors' property with a zero-turn mower. No way would I ditch gas for electric for the zero-turn mower. There is no perfect tool and battery-powered equipment definitely has its negatives.