Senators Shaheen and Markey Lead Letter Calling out Trump Administration for Attack on Lighting Standards That Save Consumers Money, Combat Climate Change

Eliminating 2020 standards would cost $14 billion every year, more than $100 per household annually

(Washington, DC)– U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) today called out the Trump administration for its attack on lighting efficiency standards, which will result in consumers paying billions of dollars more for energy and the emission of millions of additional tons of carbon dioxide. The Trump administration is proposing not to update the energy efficiency standards for general service incandescent lamps and withdrew the updated definitions of bulbs covered by the efficiency standards, which means that many common household bulbs like round globes, floodlights, candelabra bulbs, and track lighting bulbs will be exempted from meeting higher 2020 efficiency standards. These bulbs make up around half of the six billion bulbs used every day in American homes and businesses.  As part of a 2007 energy law, Congress directed the Department of Energy to publish an update to efficiency standards for general service lamps no later than January 1, 2017. This proposed efficiency rollback would ignore Congressional direction and cost consumers up to $14 billion or more than $100 per household annually, according to analysis from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.  In their letter, the Senators also urge the Department of Energy to retain the January 2017 light bulb definitions. 

The attack and proposed rollback for light bulb efficiency standards is part of the Trump administration’s broader assault on critical energy efficiency standards, with a federal appeals court ruling this week that the Department of Energy has illegally delayed four energy efficiency standards for almost three years. 

“These rollbacks are indefensible, both in terms of their costs to consumers and their contravention of Congressional intent,” write Senators Shaheen and Markey in their letter to Energy Secretary Rick Perry. “These standards protect consumer budgets and the climate.” 

A copy of the letter can be found HERE. 

Other Senators signing the letter include Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).