Beary Landscaping said it is reaffirming its commitment to sustainable maintenance practices following a draft climate action plan released by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency this spring that recommends gas-powered lawn and landscaping equipment be phased out in favor of electric equivalents by 2035. The company said the proposal, still in draft form, would affect how commercial landscaping contractors across the region plan equipment purchases over the next decade.
The recommendation is part of a broader state climate framework and would apply to mowers, trimmers, blowers, and other gas-powered equipment used by landscaping companies, municipalities, and property owners. The National Federation of Independent Business, a small-business advocacy group, submitted formal comments to the Illinois EPA raising concerns about the timeline and cost of a full equipment changeover for contractors operating large commercial fleets, along with the added demand the shift could place on local electricity grids. The plan has not been finalized and remains subject to further public comment and agency review.
A full transition to electric equipment would require landscaping companies to replace gas-powered mowers, blowers, and trimmers with battery or corded electric alternatives, along with new charging infrastructure at maintenance yards and job sites. Industry representatives have noted that battery run time, charging logistics between job sites, and upfront equipment costs remain open questions for commercial-scale operations that service large commercial and municipal properties on tight seasonal schedules. Because the plan is still in draft form, no compliance date or enforcement mechanism has been set, though the 2035 target referenced in the proposal gives contractors a rough planning horizon. The draft also touches on related areas such as building electrification codes and labor standards for energy projects, meaning its eventual scope could extend beyond equipment alone.
Beary Landscaping, which has served commercial and residential clients across the Chicago region since 1985, said its position on equipment and sustainability has not changed with the release of the draft plan, since the company had already begun planning for a gradual shift before the proposal was announced. The company said it has already incorporated electric equipment into portions of its maintenance fleet ahead of any mandate and will continue evaluating additional equipment upgrades as the state's plan moves through further review. Commercial property managers with maintenance contracts spanning multiple locations were advised by the company to ask their landscaping providers now about equipment transition timelines and any related cost changes, rather than waiting until a final rule is adopted.
"A plan like this changes equipment budgets and scheduling for every landscaping company in the state, not just ours. We would rather our clients hear directly from us about what is actually happening and when, instead of guessing based on headlines," said Brian Beary, CEO and Founder of Beary Landscaping.
Beary Landscaping has provided landscape maintenance, snow and ice management, and design-build services to commercial and residential clients throughout the Chicagoland region for more than 40 years. Headquartered in Lockport, Illinois, the company serves markets including Arlington Heights, Aurora, Brookfield, Elkhart, Lake Station, and Kenosha, Wisconsin, with more than 500 trained staff members completing over 10,000 service calls annually. Beary Landscaping holds memberships with the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association, the National Association of Landscape Professionals, and the Snow and Ice Management Association, and has received the BBB Sign of Excellence Award.
More information is available at bearylandscaping.com.
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For more information about Beary Landscaping, contact the company here:
Beary Landscaping
Brandon Bowman
(815) 838-4100
info@bearylandscaping.com
15001 West 159th Street, Lockport, IL 60491-7922