Dallas to cut greenhouse gas emissions with new battery-powered and automated equipment

Dallas has unveiled about $250,000 of new fully battery-powered and automated maintenance equipment.

City officials from the Dallas Park and Recreation Department and the Parks, Trails and Environment Committee previewed the equipment, which includes movers, trimmers and blowers, at Kiest Park on Monday.

“It’s inspiring to see Dallas taking meaningful steps, not only to enhance our city’s beautiful green spaces but also to prioritize sustainable practices,” said Kathy Stewart, District 10 council member and Parks, Trails, and the Environment Committee chair.

The equipment will help the city reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize environmental impact through quieter, cleaner and more efficient operations as part of the Dallas Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan, Stewart said.

Dallas City Council members unanimously approved the plan in 2020. It was created to establish protocols to adapt to the challenges of climate change. The plan’s goals include making the city carbon neutral by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030.

City officials in 2022 estimated it would cost $6.5 million to fully convert more than 5,400 pieces of gas-powered, city-owned equipment to electric and battery-powered, The Dallas News reported previously.

“The big factoid of the day, according to Edmunds [the online resource for automotive information], using a two-stroke leaf blower for just 30 minutes produces the same amount of hydrocarbon emissions as driving a Ford Raptor from Texas to Alaska,” said Carlos Evans, director of the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area does not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ground-level ozone, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Ozone levels in the Metroplex are the highest they’ve been in the past three years, with an average of 83 parts per billion from 2022 to 2024, according to data collected by the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

That’s up from the 81 parts per billion of ozone calculated for 2021 to 2023. Levels ranging from 71 to 85 parts per billion of ozone are considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Ground-level ozone contributes to increased asthma attacks and other respiratory health issues, especially for children, older adults, and those with breathing problems, according to the EPA.

Evans said switching to battery-powered equipment protects the health of residents and lawn care operators from respiratory and heart problems, cognitive impairment and even cancer and premature death.

The city Air Quality Program inspects and monitors the regulated industry to ensure compliance with and enforcement of the federal and state regulations governing air quality.

Dallas is also part of the initiative Air North Texas, the regional public awareness campaign and partnership that seeks to improve air quality in North Texas by the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

Most of the equipment is from the German manufacturer Andreas Stihl AG & Co.

According to Renee Johnson, assistant director of the Dallas Park and Recreation Department, the new electrical equipment will be used exclusively at the 48-acre Kiest Softball Complex.