On August 10, 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE) proposed reinstating a rule to expand energy efficiency standards for light bulbs.
In January 2017 the DOE finalized regulations expanding the types of light bulbs subject to energy efficiency standards under the Environmental Policy and Conservation Act by redefining "general service lamp" and strengthened standards to phase out less-efficient incandescent light bulbs. These regulations were scheduled to come into effect in January 2020. However, on September 5, 2019, DOE repealed the rule extending the energy efficiency standards to new classes of light bulbs. The August 2021 action proposes to reinstate the repealed rule.