WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that his administration won't move forward with the rollout of new regulations on energy efficient light bulbs.
- President Trump administration is rolling back requirements for new, energy-efficient lightbulbs
- New standards were included in energy legislation under President George W. Bush
- Department of Energy conservation program
Expected to take effect in January, the new rules would've required manufacturers to produce energy efficient versions of several common types of bulbs.
"It's not worth it," Trump said. "For the little they save and what people are going through, it's not worth it. And price was another thing."
According to the Energy Department, the new regulations would've nearly tripled the price of bulbs.
Critics of the President's plan said while consumers might save money at the store, they could still see increased costs in the form of higher energy bills if they choose not to use the efficient bulbs.
The Energy Department's web site lists a number of benefits of the eco-friendly bulbs. For instance, it says they could last anywhere from three to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
It also says that consumers could save up $75 a year on energy bills if they use energy efficient bulbs in their five most-used fixtures.
Those against the move, including environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers, said this is the wrong step to take as the U.S. tries to decrease fossil-fuel use.