Business Rebates Now Reinstated for Purchase of Electric Leaf Blowers
The City of Ann Arbor has announced that business rebates for purchase of electric leaf blowers are being reinstated beginning today, Sept. 2, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026, available on a first-come basis or until funding is expended. Designed to help lower the cost of transitioning from gas to electric leaf blowers, in accordance with Ann Arbor's leaf blower ordinance, these rebates will be available to businesses that provide lawn care or landscaping services to properties located in Ann Arbor.
Ann Arbor’s electric leaf blower rebates can be used by businesses that provide lawn care or landscaping services in Ann Arbor to purchase any electric/battery-powered leaf blowers at any retailer. Initially offered this spring and early summer, the rebate amount will be 50% of the cost of the purchased electric leaf blower to a maximum of $400. Eligible businesses may apply for multiple rebates to a maximum of $5,000 per business. To receive a rebate, applicants will be required to trade in old gas-powered leaf blowers by recycling them through the process laid out on the City of Ann Arbor’s leaf blower phase-out webpage.
Homeowners are not eligible for this rebate, although the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations (OSI) does offer rebates for a series of home energy-related improvements. OSI is also exploring potential new programs to help transition to electric lawn equipment at home. Those interested in learning about these opportunities when they emerge are encouraged to enroll in the city’s sustainability newsletter.
In December 2023, Ann Arbor City Council passed new restrictions on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers within Ann Arbor city limits, prohibiting their use in the summer months (from June 1 through Sept. 30) through 2027. Beginning in 2028, this ordinance fully prohibits the use of gas-powered leaf blowers throughout the entire year. The purpose of this ordinance is not only to promote the City’s sustainability goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also to protect the health and welfare of Ann Arbor residents by reducing noise and air pollution in the community.
More information about the rebate, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, as well as additional information on the leaf blower ordinance and alternatives to gas-powered leaf blowers is available at osi.a2gov.org/leafblowers.
The City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations was founded in 2018 and is guided by the Ann Arbor Carbon Neutrality Plan: A2ZERO. A2ZERO strives toward one unifying vision: Together, creating and implementing a just transition to carbon neutrality, community-wide, by the year 2030. Learn more at www.a2gov.org/sustainability.
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Media Contact:
Joe Lange, Senior Energy Analyst, City of Ann Arbor, jlange@a2gov.org