On March 8th, 2010 the Metropolitan King County Council unanimously approved Ordinance 2010-0001. The legislation aims to save energy and reduce light pollution from lighting on King County government property.

Summary:

Proposed Ordinance 2010-0001 requires County lighting purchases to meet or exceed
the energy efficiency standards established in federal regulation to the maximum extent
feasible. It also establishes lighting requirements for outdoor lighting on County facilities
that are intended to reduce the unwanted effects of improperly directed outdoor lighting.
The ordinance also requires the Executive to develop a lighting plan to reduce King
County’s use of inefficient lighting and the occurrence of evening light pollution.

Special thanks to representative Larry Philips who sponsored the bill and his fellow co-sponsors Jane Hague and Larry Gossett. Although this only applies to government property, it is a big step in the right direction!

City of Tumwater passes ordinance to curb light pollution!

The city of Tumwater, Wash. has recently enacted an ordinance aimed at reducing light pollution. The story was reported in The Olympian on Nov. 23.According to the article by John Dodge the ordinance, which takes effect Jan. 15, "requires most newly installed or replaced outdoor lighting to be fully shielded and directed downward so it doesn’t shoot into the sky...  (Greg Scheiderer, Spokane Examiner, Read Article)

Tumwater Website: http://www.ci.tumwater.wa.us/outdoorlighting.html