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Lawn & Garden Electrification

Starting in January 2024, a California Air Resources Board (CARB) measure requires that most newly manufactured small off-road engines such as those found in leaf blowers, lawn mowers and other equipment be zero emission. This requirement, an amendment to CARB’s existing small off-road engine regulation, applies to manufacturers and will impact new equipment (model year 2024 and later) only. While Californians can continue to operate their current CARB-compliant gasoline-powered equipment, that equipment continues to produce a significant amount of harmful emissions to the operator and the community. 

For more information on the state's Lawn and Garden regulation, click here

APCD's Lawn and Garden Electrification Program

This program can help commercial landscapers, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, schools/universities, and commercial businesses (non-landscaping) replace their old fuel-based equipment with electric! The participant must currently own and operate gasoline or diesel landscaping equipment and be willing to trade in the equipment for new cordless electric equipment.

While this program will issue "vouchers" to qualifying applicants, this program is a reimbursement program and you will be issued payment after the new equipment is purchased, old equipment is detroyed and subsequent paperwork is completed and submitted. 

Project Implementation Timeline

Dates Project Maximum Reserved Funds
January 3 - April 13, 2025 $30,000 $100,000 set aside for projects $5,000 and under
April 14, 2025 until all funding depleted $30,000 All remaining funding available for projects $30,000 and under.

 

PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Small businesses may be eligible for the max funding amounts if equipment is locally purchased (from a business in SLO County). Large businesses, per state guidelines are required to pay a 15% cost share. A small business is defined as a business which is independently owned and operated and meets the following criteria, or if affiliated with another business, the combined activities of all  businesses shall meet these criteria: 

  • The number of employees is 20 or less; and,
  • The total gross annual receipts are $5,000,000 or less

The application for this program is completed digitally. Please have the following items ready and available to upload to the application form before you begin (you will be unable to save the form and come back to it). 

 LAWN AND GARDEN APPLICATION 

  1. Business or Contractor License (if a commercial business or landscaping business).
  2. Proof your business or nonprofit services SLO County (if not located in SLO County).
  3. Funding Documentation (if you are securing other funding or discounts for this project).
  4. Copies of your equipment quotes matching the equipment you apply for in the application.
  5. Information on your existing equipment: equipment category, manufacturer (if known), model (if known), engine family (if known).

Other eligible project costs for each piece of lawn and garden equipment: 

  • A battery that is required to operate the zero-emission L&GE equipment is eligible, but additional batteries are not eligible.
  • A charging cable required to operate the zero-emission L&GE equipment is eligible, but additional charging cables are not eligible.
  • The total voucher amount must be less than or equal to 100% of the total purchase cost and cannot exceed the max incentive value.
  • As an example, if a leaf blower is $700, a battery is $500 and the charger is $600, the total of all 3 items for the leaf blower may not exceed $1,400 for a local purchase for a small business. Therefore, in this scenario, the applicant would be required to cover the remaining balance of $400 for the example. 

More information will be posted to this page as the program is finalized. If you have specific questions, please email Meghan Field at [email protected]