AQMD announces swap program for mowers

RIVERSIDE - The Southern California smog regulatory agency is, for the 10th year, accepting applications from lawn mower owners to swap their fume-generating gas machines for subsidized and quiet, clean electrical mowers.

Since 2003, some 43,438 gas-power mowers have been purchased by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and sent to junkyards, the agency said in announcing the 10th annual buyback program.

Six different battery-powered electric mowers are being offered by the AQMD in exchange for working gas models. The subsidized prices range from $100 for a small model to $220 for...