NJ town won't pursue ban on gas-powered leaf blowers ... for now

SUMMIT — The city tried it for a couple of months, but for now Summit will not pursue a permanent ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.

Summit Common Council announced on Friday that the move will not be on the table in 2022; a pilot program temporary banning the use of gas-powered blowers by city residents and business owners was in effect from June 1 to August 31 of 2021.

"The governing body will wait to consider any future action until supply chain issues are resolved and the outcome of two bills recently introduced in the New Jersey State Legislature to restrict gas-powered blower use is known," the Council said.

One of those bills would ban the sale and use of gas-powered blowers statewide, and the other would introduce a rebate program for the purchase of electric or battery-powered blowers.

Summit officials cited noise issues and health hazards when an ordinance looking to limit the use of gas-powered blowers was first introduced in March 2021.

Dino Flammia is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

NJ freedom trucker convoy on March 5 — What Bill Spadea saw

It was a chilly Saturday night and a rainy Sunday morning but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the hundreds of vehicles participating in the New Jersey Freedom Convoy on March 5-6, 2022. Here are some pics of the event, from the crowds lining the overpasses and roadways, to the trucks to the line of vehicles heading south.

2021 NJ property taxes: See how your town compares

Find your municipality in this alphabetical list to see how its average property tax bill for 2021 compares to others. You can also see how much the average bill changed from 2020. For an interactive map version, click here. And for the full analysis by New Jersey 101.5, read this story.