Magic Mountain switches to eco-friendly landscaping equipment to reduce noise, gas emissions

VALENCIA, Calif. (KABC) -- California Assembly Bill 1346 banned the sale of new gas-powered equipment like leaf blowers and lawn mowers and other small off-road engines.

Six Flags Magic Mountain and landscaping partner Stay Green have implemented new battery technology developed by equipment maker Kress to care for the park's 260-acre campus.

The new battery-operated landscaping equipment is probably quieter than your hair dryer or vacuum.

"We have superchargers, so our batteries charge within eight minutes. We are using Kress technology, that's the manufacturer that makes this equipment, and we are able to last all day long just as you would with gas equipment," said Chris Angelo, CEO and president of Stay Green.

This new technology by Kress has taken more than a decade to develop.

Landscapers no longer have to lug heavy equipment throughout the park.

"The battery technology has the same power that a traditional combustion engine would and so we are not losing anything. The real benefit is the health for the community itself and the user and also the noise pollution is greatly reduced," Angelo said.

Six Flags is also implementing more eco-friendly projects in the future.

"A big project we actually have going on is the installation of California's largest single-size solar carport structure, that's opening later this summer. We also made the switch to electric power go karts," said Alex French, communications manager at Six Flags Magic Mountain.