More Regulation

In addition to more regulations on the American economy these bills also place more regulations on you. Hidden within the thousands of pages of climate legislation are energy regulations that could affect our everyday lives. Mandates include new energy efficient standards on everything from light bulbs and water dispensers to your furnace and jacuzzi. For example, in one bill there is an entire section that deals with lamps and home lighting. A regulation found there requires that no candelabra will be able to use more than a 60 watt light bulb.

Additionally, the bill states that new homes must be built using the new California building requirements for optimum energy efficiency. So, before you can sell your home, it will be inspected by the Environmental Protection Agency and given an energy rating. If you energy rating is found to be unacceptable you will be forced to retrofit your home before it can be sold.

Quick Facts

• Strict new energy efficiency standards for appliances, lighting products and more will raise their price.
• New energy-efficiency standards for buildings would require 30 percent improvement by 2010 and 50 percent improvement by 2016, requiring expense retrofits.