WESTMINSTER

The City Council recently disagreed with an Orange County Grand Jury report that recommended local governments halt the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers because of pollution and noise concerns. The report found the amount of exhaust pollution per leaf blower in an hour is equal to the smog from 17 cars driven for one hour.

Westminster, however, argues there are many other gasoline-powered machines, such as motorcycles and lawn mowers, that create much more pollution. It also notes that the private sector, homeowners, and the state and federal governments use more leaf blowers, yet they are not addressed in the report.