A bill drafted by U.S. lawmakers from Vermont would give homeowners a 25% tax credit towards the purchase of alternative energy powered lawn, garden and forestry power equipment.
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) unveiled the legislation last week with the support of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI).
The legislators said the “Greener Gardens Act” would reduce air pollution more than new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines by providing an immediate incentive for people to purchase clean, alternative fuel engines that emit half of the EPA emissions levels and that operate on little or no fossil fuel.
In August, 2008 EPA announced its Phase III emissions regulations for outdoor power equipment. Once fully implemented, the outdoor power equipment industry will have reduced emissions by 95% in just 15 years since it first became regulated, according to the OPEI.
Outdoor power equipment manufacturers currently offer a range of alternative energy powered equipment from battery, electric, hybrids, propane and solar to compressed natural gas and diesel.
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