KQED is a proud member of
Save ArticleSave Article
upper waypoint
Energy

Federal Judge Sides With California in Dispute Over Energy-Saving Light Bulbs

Rhitu Chatterjee
NPR
Save ArticleSave Article
Failed to save article

Please try again

Jack George, an employee at Royal Lighting, looks at chandeliers using incandescent light bulbs at the store in Los Angeles. A federal judge is allowing California to enforce updated efficiency standards that will affect such specialty lightbulbs. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

California can now begin enforcing new minimum standards for light bulb efficiency, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. It’s the latest split between the state and the Trump administration, which has moved to reverse the same standards on a national level.

The judge rejected a petition for a temporary block by two industry groups, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association and the American Lighting Association. The ALA says it’s “conferring with counsel on next steps.”

The standards were adopted by the California Energy Commission (CEC) after the Trump administration recently moved to roll them back.

The light bulb efficiency standards originally passed under President George W. Bush, then were expanded during the Obama administration. That expanded version includes specialty light bulbs like those used in bathroom vanities and recessed lighting, as well as candle-shaped lights.

The Obama-era rule aimed to phase out all incandescent and halogen bulbs, and replace them with LED bulbs that meet a minimum energy efficiency of 45 lumens per watt. (Still not up on your lumens-watt conversion? Here’s some help!)

Sponsored

According to the Energy Department, LED bulbs are among the most energy efficient in the market today, using 75-80% less energy than regular ones.

In November, 16 states, including California and New York, sued the federal government over its reversal of the latest standards, and the California Energy Commission decided to adopt the original federal legislation. That’s when the two industry groups petitioned for a temporary restraining order.

The judge denied that petition Tuesday, saying the efficiency standards have “garnered significant support from consumer groups.”

The judge’s decision “keeps California at the forefront of the movement to resist the Trump Department of Energy’s efforts to tie Americans to the technology of the past,” said Noah Horowitz, director of the Center for Energy Efficiency at the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in a statement.

According to the NRDC, the new standards will save California residents up to $2.4 billion on their annual utility bills.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

lower waypoint
next waypoint
Atmospheric Rivers in California’s Ancient Past Exceeded Modern StormsWorld's Largest Digital Camera Built in the Bay Area to Illuminate Mysteries of the UniverseHow an Ocean Exploration Video Game Out of Monterey Bay Contributes to ScienceThis is NOT a Dandelion.Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Snail SexWhat Actually Makes Water Roll Off a Duck's Back?Ever Wake Up Frozen in the Middle of the Night, With a Shadowy Figure in the Room?These Face Mites Really Grow on YouNASA Prepares to Return to Venus for the First Time in DecadesWhat Are Those Weird, Pink Ponds in San Francisco Bay?