[ADEQ Media] ADEQ Director Owens Announces New Rules on Off-Highway Vehicles, Leaf Blowers in Phoenix Area to Take Effect Soon

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

ADEQ Director Owens Announces New Rules on Off-Highway Vehicles, Leaf
Blowers in Phoenix Area to Take Effect Soon

PHOENIX (March 28, 2008) - Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
(ADEQ) Director Steve Owens announced today that new limits on the use
of leaf blowers and Off-Highway Vehicles will take effect during early
April. 

The new regulations are being issued according to the provisions of
Senate Bill 1552, which Gov. Janet Napolitano signed into law last July.


Under the new law, as of April 1 the use of leaf blowers to blow debris
into a street, or to use a blower on dirt fields, road shoulders or
loose dirt is prohibited. ADEQ is publishing training materials for
leaf-blower operators, which is part of mandatory training for operators
employed by counties and municipalities.  In addition, the law requires
sellers or renters of leaf blowers to distribute an informational
leaflet produced by ADEQ about the new law:
www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/blower.html

In addition, effective April 8, cities and counties in the Phoenix
metropolitan area are required to limit the recreational use of
Off-Highway Vehicles on days when a High Pollution Advisory (HPA) is in
effect and to restrict parking and use of all vehicles on unpaved or
unstabilized vacant lots, except when a dust-control permit has been
issued. A map of areas affected:
http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/prevent/images/ohv.jpg	

Director Owens noted that Gov. Napolitano has banned the use of leaf
blowers and other gasoline-powered landscape maintenance equipment on
state property in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties since last June. 

The new limits will help to bring Arizona into compliance with federal
particulate-matter air quality standards by 2010, Owens said. 

"We have made progress reducing automobile emissions, but dust generated
by off-road sources remains a major source of air pollution," Owens
said. "With the new restrictions, people who use leaf blowers and
Off-Highway Vehicles will be doing their part to help make the air
cleaner and healthier to breathe."  

In addition, the public can sign up to receive HPA alerts by text
message or email: www.azdeq.gov/sms.html or
www.azdeq.gov/subscribe.html.	

-30-

News media interested in additional information on this or any other
topic concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should
contact the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications@azdeq.gov.

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