The BULB Act — for “Better Use of Light Bulbs” — is the latest bright idea from Rep. Joe Barton, the Texas Republican who last year apologized to BPduring the Gulf oil spill and more recentlyquestioned whether there is any “medical negative” from mercury or other dangerous air pollutants.
This is a dim-watted bill. The BULB Act would repeal the federal lighting efficiency standards that Congress adopted on a bipartisan basis in its 2007 energy legislation, signed by President George W. Bush. The bill would also block any state from setting standards to cut how much juice is used by “medium screw base general service incandescent lamps.” It would even block states from setting building construction standards that incorporate efficient lighting.
The 2007 energy law ordered a make-over for the old incandescent bulb, which hadn’t much changed since the days of Thomas Edison, and which wastes billions of dollars of electricity each year. Instead of padding the bottom lines of big power companies and companies that supply coal, natural gas, and other fuels, the new standards will keep those billions in consumers’ pockets. All that wasted electricity means more pollution that kills tens of thousands of Americans each year, sickens millions more, and drives dangerous global warming.
So to cut electricity use, save consumers money, and reduce pollution, the 2007 law requires new light bulbs made starting in 2012 to use less electricity. Contrary to all the over-amped hype, the 2007 law does not ban the incandescent bulb and force everyone to use compact fluorescents. The law requires only that manufacturers make bulbs more efficient.