Reps. Harman, Upton Hail Agreement On Outdoor Lighting Standards

Lawmaker says “energy efficiency is the next frontier.”

November 3, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – At a Capitol Hill press conference today, Representatives Jane Harman (D-Venice) and Fred Upton (R-MI), both members of the Energy & Commerce Committee, cheered an agreement on outdoor lighting efficiency standards between environmental and industry groups. Also in attendance were Senators Jeff Bingaman, Mark Pryor, and Lisa Murkowski.

Article continues below...

The lighting agreement outlines efficiency standards for pole-mounted outdoor lighting fixtures that provide highway, roadway, parking lot and area lighting. Currently no standards exist for such fixtures. The negotiated regulations would take effect in phases; the first phase would ban the least efficient types of lights and impose new standards for others by 2013. The Department of Energy would have rulemaking authority to create a second and third tier of efficiency standards. The proposal also has a preemption clause that allows California to set a higher efficiency standard by 2015, if the state so chooses.

Depending on the stringency of the Department of Energy’s rules, industry experts estimate that by 2030, the new standards could achieve energy cost savings of $5.1 billion annually. The regulations would also lower carbon emissions by as much as 7.95 metric tons annually—roughly the equivalent of removing 5.4 million cars from the road.

“For over a century, this country has stood at the cutting edge of technological innovation, from the Thomas Edison to Neill Armstrong to Steve Jobs. Energy efficiency is the next frontier,” said Harman. Hailing her teamwork with Upton to ban the 100-watt incandescent bulb, which gives off more heat than light, Harman added, “90% heat, 10% light—sounds like Congress.”

“Today, we put the spotlight on energy savings,” said Upton. “As our nation’s energy needs are expected to jump significantly over the next two decades, it is imperative that we take advantage of burgeoning efficient technologies. This groundbreaking agreement on outdoor lighting, with American industry taking the lead, will save billions of dollars annually and conserve the energy equivalent of nearly a dozen coal-fired power plants.”

Representatives of several groups that negotiated the proposed regulations also attended the press conference, including Evan Gaddis of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, Steve Nadel of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, and Lane Burt of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

In 2007, Harman and Upton introduced bipartisan legislation on indoor lighting standards– which became law as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act. That law bans the famously inefficient 100-watt incandescent light bulb by 2012, phases out remaining inefficient light bulbs by 2014, and requires that all light bulbs be at least three times as efficient as today’s 100-watt incandescent bulb by 2020. They co-authored language on outdoor lighting as part of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009—which would have increased efficiency by 25% and phased in new regulations more quickly—but that language was later diluted.

Source: Representative Jane Harman