HARMAN LIGHT BULB PROVISION INCLUDED IN ENERGY BILL

Language would phase-out inefficient bulbs over the next decade

Washington, D.C. Today, as part of comprehensive energy efficiency legislation, the House Energy & Commerce Committee approved an amendment authored by Reps. Jane Harman (D-Venice) and Fred Upton (R-MI) to ban by 2020 the sale of any light bulb that is not three times more efficient than today’s incandescent bulbs.  Various environmental groups and light bulb manufacturers endorsed the provision, including the National Resources Defense Council, Philips Electronics and Siemens USA.

“Light bulbs are a big part of our energy problem; now they will become a big part of our energy solution.  In the 18 seconds it takes to change a light bulb, we can literally change America’s energy habits,” said Harman.

The Harman-Upton provision would:

• Prohibit the sale of traditional, wasteful 100-watt incandescent light bulbs by 2012.
• Establish technology neutral, performance-based standards for all light bulbs by 2014 (designed to reduce residential electricity use by 5% and cut bulb power use by two-thirds).
• Require all light bulbs sold in the US by 2020 to be 300% more efficient (cutting the national electric bill by more than $10 billion.)

The legislation will promote the use of energy saving halogen lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in the near term, and US-manufactured light emitting diodes (LEDs) within five years beginning with 40-watt bulbs.  It also includes language requiring the study of the mercury contained in CFLs and their proper disposal.

Additional principal amendment cosponsors were Rep. Al Wynn (D-MD) and former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (D-IL).

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