WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA – The familiar roar of a small gas engine and the flurry of leaves and dust–long a hallmark of East Bay summers–will be a thing of the past in another local town.
And in the process, Walnut Creek is about to get a lot quieter.
Starting April 1, 2026, the use of gas-powered leaf blowers will be prohibited citywide under a new Walnut Creek ordinance aimed at reducing pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and health impacts tied to small gas engines. The city says the change is part of its broader Sustainability Action Plan, which was adopted in 2023…