Proposed LIT Act Would End Federal Energy Standards for Common Light Bulbs, Rolling Back Recent DOE Rules

The "Liberating Incandescent Technology Act of 2025," or "LIT Act" for short, is a new bill on the table that aims to eliminate federal energy efficiency standards for most common light bulbs—what the government calls "general service lamps." If this sounds like a big deal, it is. The bill proposes to do this by making targeted changes to the long-standing Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) and, crucially, by terminating several specific Department of Energy (DOE) rules. These are the very rules that recently set a minimum efficiency level for bulbs (like 45 lumens per watt) and expanded which types of bulbs had to meet these energy-saving targets. In plain English, this legislation wants to hit the rewind button on federal efforts to make our lighting more energy-efficient, potentially bringing older, less efficient bulb technologies, like traditional incandescent bulbs, back to store shelves without any energy-saving strings attached.

Flipping the Switch on Efficiency

So, how exactly would the LIT Act pull this off? Section 2 of the bill gets right to work by amending key parts of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. For instance, it proposes removing paragraph (14) from Section 322(a) of the EPCA, which is likely the part that classifies general service lamps as products subject to energy standards. It also seeks to strike subsection (i) of Section 325 of the EPCA, the very section that lays out the energy conservation standards for these lamps. Think of it like removing the main engine and several key components from a car – the vehicle isn't going anywhere after that. The bill also meticulously updates various cross-references throughout the EPCA to reflect these removals, ensuring the old rules are thoroughly dismantled.

What does this mean for the light bulbs you pick up at the store? For years, federal policy has been nudging manufacturers to produce, and retailers to sell, bulbs that give you the same amount of light while using less electricity. This bill essentially says, "Let's stop that." That 60-watt incandescent bulb that became harder to find as LEDs took over? It could make a widespread comeback if these standards are removed.

What's Getting Scrapped: A Look at the Targeted Rules

The LIT Act doesn't just tinker with the overarching law; it specifically calls for the termination of three recent DOE rules. These aren't just any rules; they're the backbone of current light bulb efficiency requirements:

• 87 Fed. Reg. 27439 ("Energy Conservation Standards for General Services Lamps"): This 2022 rule was a big one. It established the 45 lumens per watt (lm/W) minimum efficiency standard. "Lumens per watt" is just a fancy way of saying how much light (lumens) a bulb produces for each unit of energy (watt) it consumes. More lm/W means a more efficient bulb. This rule effectively phased out many traditional incandescent bulbs.
• 87 Fed. Reg. 27461 ("Definitions for General Service Lamps"): Also from 2022, this rule broadened the definition of "general service lamps." This meant more types of bulbs, including some previously exempt reflector bulbs and specialty shapes, were brought under the efficiency umbrella.
• 89 Fed. Reg. 28856 ("Energy Conservation Standards for General Services Lamps"): This very recent 2024 rule further tweaked and finalized these standards, with compliance dates for some aspects extending out to 2028.

By axing these specific regulations, as detailed in Section 2, the LIT Act would remove the current nationwide mandate for many common household bulbs to be energy-savers.

Brace for Impact: How This Could Change Your Bulbs and Bills

If the LIT Act becomes law, the effects could ripple out in a few key ways. For everyday folks, this might mean seeing a wider variety of bulbs on store shelves, including those old-school incandescent ones that are often cheaper to buy upfront. That lower price tag at the register is the main potential upside. However, there's a flip side: those traditional bulbs are energy hogs compared to LEDs or even CFLs. Over the lifespan of the bulb, you could end up paying significantly more on your electricity bill to power them. If you've made the switch to LEDs, you've probably noticed a dip in your lighting costs; this bill could reverse that trend for anyone choosing, or having to choose, less efficient options.

Beyond your wallet, there's the bigger environmental picture. The efficiency standards were put in place, in part, to reduce overall energy consumption nationwide. Less energy used means less demand on power plants and, consequently, lower greenhouse gas emissions. Rolling back these standards, as proposed by the entirety of Section 2, would likely lead to an increase in energy used for lighting. Utility companies might also feel the pinch if energy demand for lighting unexpectedly rises, potentially straining grids or requiring more power generation.

Manufacturers who have invested heavily in developing and producing energy-efficient technologies like LEDs might face renewed competition from cheaper, less efficient bulbs. Conversely, companies that still produce or wish to produce traditional incandescent technology would find a newly reopened market.

The Bigger Picture: Rewiring National Energy Policy for Lighting

This proposed legislation marks a significant departure from the direction of U.S. energy policy over the last few decades. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which this bill seeks to amend, has generally been used to increase energy efficiency for a wide range of consumer products and appliances. The LIT Act essentially proposes to carve out an exception for light bulbs, taking them out of this broader conservation framework.

While the bill itself is straightforward in its aim—to remove regulations—the long-term implications could be a shift in lighting technology availability and a different trajectory for energy consumption patterns than what current policies were designed to achieve. It signals a potential rethinking of how, and if, energy conservation for everyday household items should be federally mandated.