Leaf Blowers Continue to Disrupt Neighborhoods

Hummingbirds flit around the roses and squirrels play in the trees in the backyard of Lisa Sarkin's house along the Los Angeles River.

She begins to point out a California native dove when suddenly her dogs bark, the hummingbirds scatter and the squirrels scramble away.

A noisy gas-powered leaf blower next door interrupts the conversation. Sarkin sighs, "Leaf blowers. Well, that's been an issue."

Sarkin is on the Studio City Neighborhood Council, which has discussions with the Los Angeles Police Department about enforcing the city's ban on the tools. "I just don't think they care about leaf blowers," Sarkin said.

"It's not their priority." Mike Lewis, the LAPD senior lead officer for Sarkin's area, agreed. "If it is a nuisance, we will check it out, of course," Lewis said. "But the noise abatement issue is not a high priority.  And it is hard to tackle the issue."

The Neighborhood Council has printed up an extensive two-sided flier that declares in bold letters: "PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT! Gas-powered leaf blowers are illegal in the City of Los Angeles!" The flier was compiled and distributed by the Environmental and Cultural Affairs committees of the Council.

Michael McCue, the former chairman of the Environmental Committee, said "It is very frustrating that we have this law that isn't being enforced, and the incidents of asthma is going up 11 percent in the city."

According to the flier, Environmental Protection Agency studies show that leaf blowers have been linked to asthma and "Valley Fever, an often fatal respiratory disease caused by high levels of particulate matter pollutants, which are both on the rise in urban areas where these leaf-blowers are used." (Valley Fever, according to the Centers for Disease Control, is only considered "soemetimes" fatal.)

The flier also points out that the leaf blowers are typically at a 90-decibel level while the acceptable level is 70 decibels. Also, the gardener and the homeowner can receive fines of up to $100 each. McCue said he recommended that residents and apartment owners ask their gardeners to stop using gas-powered leaf blowers on their properties.

He pointed out that new electric equipment costs far less than the potential fine. Local resident and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. narrates a leaf blower information video now posted on You Tube and the neighborhood council Web site.

For more of An Environmental Check-in with Ed Begley Jr. CLICK HERE: http://studiocity.patch.com/search?keywords=environmental-check-in-with-ed-begley-jr