[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1526 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
1st Session
S. 1526
To direct the Secretary of Energy to develop standards for general
service lamps that will operate more efficiently and assist in reducing
costs to consumers, business concerns, government entities, and other
users, to require that general service lamps and related products
manufactured or sold in interstate commerce after 2013 meet those
standards, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 24, 2007
Mr. Stevens (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Carper, Ms.
Murkowski, and Ms. Landrieu) introduced the following bill; which was
read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Energy to develop standards for general
service lamps that will operate more efficiently and assist in reducing
costs to consumers, business concerns, government entities, and other
users, to require that general service lamps and related products
manufactured or sold in interstate commerce after 2013 meet those
standards, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Bright Idea Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR GENERAL SERVICE LAMPS.
(a) In General.--
(1) Establishment of standards.--As soon as practicable
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Energy shall initiate a project to establish technical
standards for general service lamps.
(2) Consultation with interested parties.--In carrying out
the project, the Secretary shall consult with representatives
of environmental organizations, labor organizations, general
service lamp manufacturers, consumer organizations, and other
interested parties.
(3) Minimum initial standards; deadline.--The initial
technical standards established shall be standards that enable
those general service lamps to provide levels of illumination
equivalent to the levels of illumination provided by general
service lamps generally available in 2007, but with--
(A) a lumens per watt rating of not less than 30 by
calendar year 2013; and
(B) a lumens per watt rating of not less than 45 by
calendar year 2018.
(b) Manufacture and Distribution in Interstate Commerce.--If the
Secretary of Energy, after consultation with the interested parties
described in subsection (a)(2), determines that general service lamps
meeting the standards established under subsection (a) are generally
available for purchase throughout the United States at costs that are
substantially equivalent (taking into account useful life, lifecycle
costs, domestic manufacturing capabilities, energy consumption, and
such other factors as the Secretary deems appropriate) to the cost of
the general service lamps they would replace, then the Secretary shall
take such action as may be necessary to require that at least 95
percent of general service lamps sold, offered for sale, or otherwise
made available in the United States meet the standards established
under subsection (a), except for those general service lamps described
in subsection (c).
(c) Exception.--The standards established by the Secretary under
subsection (a) shall not apply to general service lamps used in
applications in which compliance with those standards is not feasible,
as determined by the Secretary.
(d) Revised Standards.--After the initial standards are established
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult periodically with the
interested parties described in subsection (a)(2) with respect to
whether those standards should be changed. The Secretary may change the
standards, and the dates and percentage of lamps to which the changed
standards apply under subsection (b), if after such consultation the
Secretary determines that such changes are appropriate.
(e) Report.--The Secretary shall submit reports periodically to the
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology, the Senate
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and the House of
Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce with respect to the
development and promulgation of standards for lamps and lamp-related
technology, such as switches, dimmers, ballast, and non-general service
lighting, that includes the Secretary's findings and recommendations
with respect to such standards.
SEC. 3. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy may carry out a lighting
technology research and development program--
(1) to support the research, development, demonstration,
and commercial application of lamps and related technologies
sold, offered for sale, or otherwise made available in the
United States; and
(2) to assist manufacturers of general service lamps in the
manufacturing of general service lamps that, at a minimum,
achieve the lumens per watt ratings described in section 2(a).
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2013.
(c) Sunset.--The program under this section shall terminate on
September 30, 2015.
SEC. 4. CONSUMER EDUCATION PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the
Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, shall carry out a
comprehensive national program to educate consumers about the benefits
of using light bulbs that have improved efficiency ratings.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2014.
SEC. 5. REPORT ON MERCURY USE AND RELEASE.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Energy, in cooperation with the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, shall submit to Congress a report
describing recommendations relating to the means by which the Federal
Government may reduce or prevent the release of mercury during the
manufacture, transportation, storage, or disposal of light bulbs.
SEC. 6. REPORT ON LAMP LABELING.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, in cooperation with the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary
of Energy, shall submit to Congress a report describing current lamp
labeling practices by lamp manufacturers and recommendations for a
national labeling standard.
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