Is AB-1346 The Beginning To The End Of The GARDEN TRACTOR?

[MossRoad]

That is pure dee bull, crude oil production was never been close to peaking at the turn of the century.

This century. Crude oil peaked around 2006. Not 1900.

 

[grsthegreat]

Hate to break the news to you….but the turn of the century was 2000.

my house that I built in 1996 is a turn of the century house.

 

[tomplum]

There is more to come. I just read that the Washington state governor is wanting to electrify the state's fleet by 2040. Inslee announces plans to fully electrify Washington's public fleets by 2035

 

[grsthegreat]

They just placed 2 electric buses into service in Spokane last week

 

[ding beep]

35 years ago anyone who brought a cordless drill motor onto a jobsite was scoffed at.

Raise your hand now if you DONT keep a battery operated portable power tool in your arsenal.

 

[JackieM]

The market will adapt. Wait until we get version 3.0 of electric tractors.

As a Tesla owner, I would buy this tractor tomorrow if it was available. I'm going to keep an eye on this brand through Google Alerts. Thank you for posting.

 

[panamaguy]

My Wife brought something to my attention this morning that was more bad news specific to the "Hobby" most of us share. I did some searching to find out how bad it was and became "Stunned" at the far reaching potential impact that one US State (California) can have on the Nation as a whole, I'm unsure how it might impact our friends up north (Canada) at this time, if any, and those outside of North America may not have any impact from this at all.

California's New Law, AB-1346, signed into law 09OCT2021 that bans ALL residential and commercial gas powered yard equipment by 01JAN2024, That's 786 days or 2 years by my calculation starting with today. A ban on all small engines 25hp and under with these temporary exemptions for now, on-road motor vehicles, off-road motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, model airplanes, or cars. The exempt vehicles are mandated to have zero emission mandates by CARB, by 2035 at the latest.

Examples of what is banned,

Lawn Mowers, Lawn and Garden Tractors, Snow Blowers, Leaf Blowers, Rototillers, Portable Water Pumps, Fence Post Augers, Chain Saws, String Trimmers, Generators (by 2028), Golf Carts, and specialty Vehicles, to name a few. Zero emission is defined as electric battery powered or plug-in, not Natural Gas or Propane.

This forum is about Lawn and Garden Tractors and the unique role they play in our lives. Though California residents are losing some valuable freedoms here, for those in other States that think they are in the clear, you may need to reconsider how this law may impact you by which State you live in. This law mandates CARB (California Air Resources Board) to regulate the ban of all small engine yard equipment (25hp and under by 01JAN 2024 as the first of many new mandates to come). CARB is stricter than the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and is allowed to act outside of the EPA and so far, there are 15 States that have adopted CARB as there standard with 3 more pending adoption.

The current US States that have adopted CARB are as follows,

1) California
2) New York
3) Massachusetts
4) Vermont
5) Maine
6) Pennsylvania
7) Connecticut
8) Rhode Island
9) Washington
10) Oregon
11) New Jersey
12) Maryland
13) Delaware
14) Colorado
15) Virginia

The three current pending States to adopt CARB are as follows,

1) Minnesota
2) Nevada
3) New Mexico

For California, I'm sorry, it's over for now, but for those in the other States, maybe something can still be done? I don't know.

I can't find one piece of equipment that can take over the job of the Garden Tractor as an electric option for in the cold and blowing snow as an example of what's being lost, at least in the residential market. For those thinking AG such as a SCUT to get around these laws, maybe? But residential Zoning may prohibit as a Code Violation the use of AG equipment in a Residential zone, but either way, it looks like you have two years if you can get supply, and to be "Grandfathered" with a new Garden Tractor and or snow blower or? Before CARB ends the supply and choice for you.

I have left the actual law in PDF for all of you plus links.

Link to the law,

The Law, AB-1346 as of 09OCT2021, to go into effect no later than 01JAN2024,
Bill Text - AB-1346 Air pollution: small off-road engines.

Links to the developing story,

The LA Times, 09OCT2021,
California moves toward ban on gas lawn mowers and leaf blowers

The Wall Street Journal, 12OCT2021,
California moves toward ban on gas lawn mowers and leaf blowers

The Washington Post, 12OCT2021,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/clim...12/california-newsom-law-equipment-pollution/

FOX News Channel, 18OCT2021,
California: Gas-powered lawn equipment tops long list of things banned by Newsom

Car and Driver, 19OCT2021
California Enacts Ban on Gas-Powered Lawn Mowers, Leaf Blowers

CNET, 22OCT2021,
https://www.cnet.com/home/yard-and-...-lawn-mowers-what-to-know-about-the-new-rule/

Link to the EPA and CARB explanation on Wiki,

Wikipedia, Clean Air Act, CARB, description,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_vehicle_emission_standards

Links to the participation CARB States,

Autoweek, 19MAR2019,
What are CARB states, ZEV states and 'smile' states? Autoweek explains

Maryland Department of the environment, (Current)
States Adopting California's Clean Cars Standards

Bloomberg Law, 26MAR2021,
States Adopt California Car Rules Amid National Standards Debate

CarsDirect, 22SEP2021,
https://www.carsdirect.com/deals-articles/what-are-carb-emission-states

-GT

My old MD GOLD broke a con rod so I put in a harbor freight 23 hp v twin. Not that I even live in the US but if I did I would peel the 23 hp decal off the engine take it to a company that make decals and proudly drive my new 27 hp lawn tractor. It's. Ot hard folks.

 

[5030]

Toaster mini tractor...

 

[airbiscuit]

Your next Kubota? (Deere, Fendt, Kubota - all the Big Boys are developing Electric Tractors_

 

[Duke Snyder]

NOT a problem!!
Next big forest fire will burn the state up completely as the portable pumps and chain saws used to fight the fire on the fire lines will all have DEAD BATTERIES!!! Also the electrical grid in Calif. is way under par to handle the state now, then add in all those power sucking rechargers!
They saved the people from the emissions from the gas saws, pumps and misc. equipment like ATVs to help the firefighters!!
They will now all choke to death by the forest fire smoke, be roasted to death or be homeless.
YOU JUST CAN'T FIX STUPID!!