Are You Breaking Louisiana Law if You Blow Grass Clippings Into the Street?

Lafayette, Louisiana (KPEL-FM) - When it comes to lawn season in Louisiana, we typically have to keep our lawnmowers running a bit longer than other states because of our weather.

Some days, it can be an almost unbearable task to get it all done, and get it all done right.

Before you pack it in and just simply blow your grass clippings into the street instead of bagging it up, you're going to want to read this because...you might be breaking the law.

Blowing Grass Clippings Into the Street in Louisiana Could Cost You Thousands

If you finish mowing the yard and just blow the grass clippings into the street, you might be breaking the law in Louisiana, and it could cost you big.

In some cities and parishes, it’s treated as littering or illegal dumping, with fines that can climb into the thousands.

READ MORE: Louisiana Village Cracks Downs on Citizens Blowing Grass on Roads

It may seem harmless, but leaving clippings in the road can cause serious issues.

Flooding Risk: Grass can clog storm drains, which is especially dangerous during Louisiana’s hurricane season. Blocked drains can quickly lead to neighborhood flooding and property damage.

Water Quality Issues: Decomposing grass adds excess nutrients to local waterways, contributing to algae blooms and pollution.

Road Safety Hazards: Wet grass clippings can be as slick as ice, posing a major danger to vehicles—especially motorcycles.

Louisiana Law and Fines For Grass Clippings

While not every parish enforces the same rules, many areas in Louisiana consider blowing grass clippings into the street a violation of local littering or dumping laws.

That means homeowners could face steep fines if they don’t clean up after mowing.

READ MORE: New Iberia Passes $500 Fine for Blowing Grass Clippings Into Streets and Drains

More and more Parishes in Acadiana have been recently passing laws with steep fines for folks who blow their grass clippings into the street.

From lafayettela.gov -

Grass clippings and leaves blown or swept into storm drains or into the street harms waterways and our river.

Storm drains flow into coulees and into the Vermilion River.

 

Grass clippings in the river rob valuable oxygen from our Vermilion River.

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For Lafayette Parish, the fines for grass clippings  shake out like this -

First Offense - $250 per day, per offense.

Second Offense - $500 per day, per offense.

Third Offense and Every Offense Thereafter - $1,000 per day, per offense.

You can read more about this ordinance over at lafayettela.gov.