To help control pollution, California does have special regulations for small engines, such as those found on backpack blowers. To reduce the effects of small engine emissions, the engine must be California Air Resources Board (CARB) compliant. You can still use a backpack blower, but you’ll need to find one that says it is CARB-compliant. Though they aren’t pollutant free, CARB-compliant models are more efficient and run cleaner.