The process of developing this rule is underway by the State Department of Air Resources and is expected to take some time before the beginning of the year.
However, with the signature of the Governor, the rule will be adopted by July 1, 2022, and will come into force when the authorities determine that it is “feasible” with a deadline of January 1, 2024.
The bill also provides a subsidy to partially cover the cost of replacing equipment, which reserves $ 30 million in the state budget.
Needless to say, the purpose of this regulation is to reduce CO2 emissions. The state of California has introduced emission standards for these small engines since 1990, and although emissions from automobiles are decreasing year by year, the reality is that this is not always the case when it comes to small engines for portable devices.
According to state officials’ assets, an hour of gasoline-powered leaf blower emits the same air pollutants as a 2017 Toyota Camry travels about 1,100 miles. And California has more than 16.7 million such small engines, 3 million more than state-registered cars.
Manufacturers already sell electric high-pressure washers and lawnmowers, so this rule may not be a big deal for manufacturers. However, while portable generators still have limited options to replace gasoline engines, some companies are developing portable generators that use hydrogen fuel and do not emit CO2.
California plans to ban the sale of new cars and trucks with internal combustion engines by 2035. That’s why many automakers are aiming to switch their sales lineup to fully electric vehicles by then. From 2030, zero-emission regulations for small self-driving cars will be enforced.