New Lawn Mower? Wait For Your Tax Credit

Story from the Wall Street Journal

If you’re thinking of buying a new mower, trimmer or garden tiller, it might be worth waiting. Yesterday, three congressional delegates from Vermont introduced legislation that, if passed, would offer consumers a 25% tax credit up to $1,000 toward the purchase of environmentally-friendly lawn, garden or forestry power equipment.

The bill titled “Greener Gardens Act” (every pun intended presumably) is the brainchild of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and is designed to provide “immediate incentive for people to purchase clean, alternative fuel engines that…operate on little or no fossil fuel.” Qualifying equipment would include that powered by a motor drawing current from solar, electricity or rechargeable or replacement batteries, as well as equipment run off other alternatives to gasoline–such as propane or compressed natural gas. It would also include “hybrid” machines whose cutting systems are powered by a generator or electrical storage device combines with a small engine.

While such equipment is still not widely available compared to gas-operated machines, more well-known brands such as Troy-Bilt, Cub Cadet, Ariens, Husqvarna, and Black & Decker– among others–have been adding non-gasoline fueled products to their lineup in recent years. One notable constituent of the bill’s authors is Neuton Inc. of Vergennes, Vt., which makes battery-powered mowers (pictured here) and yard tools.

The bill was endorsed by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, a trade association, which says it will push for any final legislation to include provisions for the commercial market as well as for homeowners.

Tax credits are gaining fast traction as a way to help fuel President Barack Obama’s clean energy agenda. Right now, there are lucrative incentives in place for making energy-efficient home improvements. They include up to $1,500 in tax credits for adding qualifying windows, doors, insulation, roofs, heating and cooling equipment, water heaters and even wood and pellet stoves to your house in 2009 and 2010. Perks for installing pricier solar technology, small wind-energy systems or a geothermal-well system include a tax credit of 30% of qualifying expenditures with no upper limit through 2016.

Readers, are you investing in any energy-efficient home improvements or environmentally-friendly lawn equipment this year? Do these tax credits make such upgrades more appealing?