06/29/2026
JUDGE REJECTS CHALLENGE TO MONTCLAIR’s LEAF BLOWER BAN~
A federal judge has ruled that the federal Clean Air Act does not preempt a Montclair, New Jersey municipal ordinance banning gasoline-powered leaf blowers.
The court dismissed a landscaper-led challenge, providing major legal backing for towns enforcing zero-emissions restrictions on landscaping equipment.
Legal experts consider this decision the first in the nation to successfully defend a gas leaf blower ban against a federal preemption claim, which sets a strong precedent for other municipalities nationwide.
-> https://www.law.com/njlawjournal/2026/06/22/judge-rejects-preemption-challenge-to-towns-leaf-blower-ban/