Page 45 - Lighting Magazine November 2019

definition of general service lamps to cover at least half of the decorative and reflector lamps sold to- day. DOE’s final rule decided that GSL and GSIL will remain the original definition, in the EISA’07 law. Therefore, all of the decorative and reflector lamps that the Obama Administration tried to get regulated as GSL & GSIL will remain unregulated at this time.
Weems shares the ALA’s views on this DOE final rule: “DOE mistakenly approved new definitions for GSLs and GSILs in 2017. The ALA appreciates the actions taken by DOE to return to statue and Con- gressional intent. The recent final rule on GSL and GSIL definitions was not a rollback of standards; DOE could not have been clearer about that in the final rule. At the same time DOE released the GSL definition final rule, it also released a proposed de- termination on the necessity of new standards for GSILs. DOE determined that new regulations are not economically viable. Sometimes government regulation is needed to move an industry along, and other times consumer demand and market forces are enough to spur action. In the lighting industry, the latter is the case. Today’s consumers, through showrooms, have access to products and knowledge that are efficient, innovative, and highly functional.”
In the final rule, DOE also clarified that an EISA’07 provision to raise efficiency requirements on GSL to 45 lumens per watt (lm/W) in 2020, was not triggered. This raises questions about if, and when, halogen A-lamps will be phased out with a 45 lm/W requirement, known as “the backstop.” This issue remains unresolved.
caLIFornIa
The ALA is actively working with the State of Cali- fornia to get Prop 65 regulatory relief to the lighting industry doing business in California. According to Weems, “ALA is engaged with OEHHA to develop regulatory relief for the lighting industry as it relates to Proposition 65. ALA had an introductory meeting with the Director, Chief Deputy Director, and Chief Counsel of OEHHA, asking for assistance in getting a safe use determination (SUD). After making our pitch, the OEHHA officials suggested an easier (and less costly) approach to eliminating prophylactic warnings. For the main swath of fixture offerings, the OEHHA officials encouraged us to pursue a document called ‘Interpretive Guidance’ (IG). This document is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, but an OEHHA- and hopefully CA Attorney General- approved document that provides some level of protection from frivolous lawsuits. Upon receipt of the IG, ALA would petition OEHHA’s chief counsel to issue a Chief Counsel Letter indicating that it is the opinion of the Chief Counsel that based on the IG, no warnings are required to be provided in light- ing showrooms. ALA and OEHHA agreed that SUD may still be necessary for certain product catego- ries such as crystal chandeliers.”
The new CA Title 24-2019 becomes effective January 1, 2020. This newest version had many fewer lighting changes than past revisions to the CA energy code. It added solar panel requirements for all new homes, including JA11 solar specs and JA12 battery storage specs.
For lighting, exemptions were added for step lights and path lights that are <5W, and <150 lu- mens. GU24 CFLs are no longer exempted from JA8. It allows for any LED source to be installed outdoors, not requiring integrated nor JA8 sources. Light sources internal to drawers, cabinetry, or linen closets will not be required to comply with Table 150.0-A nor be controlled by vacancy sensors, if <5W and <150 lumens, and automatic control turns lights off when the drawer/cabinet/closet is closed. CEC only aligned CRI for T24 & T20 and not CCT.
rEgulAtioN round-up
“Today, the most pressing issues are tariffs, GSL rule-making, and Prop 65.”
—Michael Weems, ALA
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