New York Governor Cuomo recently signed into law the “Healthy, Safe and Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting Act,” which establishes requirements for outdoor lighting installed by state agencies.
The bill requires the use of properly shielded luminaires to prevent unnecessary up- and side-lighting, thereby reducing light trespass and sky glow. The bill also states that installations shall comply with minimum IES recommendations.
This legislation has been pending for several years. To resolve differences and garner industry-wide support, major industry and advocacy groups formed a coalition that included NEMA, IALD, the International Dark Skies Association and the IES, all of whom played a significant role in supporting and passing this legislation.
The coalition worked with the State Assembly and State Senate members to develop this model legislation, which addresses the design challenges while ensuring applications adhere to good lighting design principles.
IES praised the new legislation.
“This bill is a good example of collaboration and effective compromise among private sector stakeholders, advocates, and our elected representatives,” said IES Director of Public Policy, Bob Horner.
