Ceiling Fans Exempt from Maryland Energy Efficiency Standards Act

Ceiling Fans Exempt from Maryland Energy Efficiency Standards Act

Bill Repeals 2004 Act Requirements

The state of Maryland passed an Energy Efficiency Act in 2004 that was set to negatively impact interstate commerce by imposing new requirements for ceiling fans. This week, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 1030 that repeals those requirements for ceiling fans.

The bill makes various changes to the Maryland Energy Efficiency Standards Act established by Chapter 2 of 2004. The changes generally relate to exceptions to the energy efficiency standards; the effective dates of various requirements; and certification, labeling and testing. The bill takes effect June 1, 2005.

Currently, Maryland's Energy Efficiency Standards Act provides for the establishment of minimum energy efficiency standards for specified new products. Regulations adopted by the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) established the standards for nine household and commercials products including ceiling fans, ceiling fan light kits and torchiere lighting fixtures. The Act still requires light kits to meet the lumens per watt ratio of fluorescent bulbs.

The Act originally specified that no new product may be sold or offered for sale in the state on or after March 1, 2005, that does not meet the new standards. However, that deadline was changed to March 1, 2006, at the urging of the American Lighting Association (ALA) and its Maryland members citing the inadequate supply of existing ceiling fan products that conform to the new standard.

"Maryland fan retailers, along with manufacturers and ALA, worked persistently to accomplish these changes,” said Miriam Klimoski of The Annapolis Lighting Company. "It was very difficult, because the bill had passed a year prior with much more stringent standards, and legislators were resistant to revisit this topic."

Now with the repeal of the ceiling fan requirements, fan retailers and manufacturers in Maryland are relieved, and Maryland residents will not have to look to retailers outside their state to find an adequate supply of ceiling fans. Other fan businesses must diligently watch for similar legislation to hit their state in the form of an energy standards bill.

"Industry leaders must work together to establish national standards, so various states do not adopt different legislation that would lead to real headaches for vendors and retailers," said Klimoski.

For information about how to comply with the requirements of the Maryland Energy Efficiency Standards Act, review the MEA Web site at www.energy.maryland.gov or call Michael Richard at 410-260-7511 or David Cronin at 410-260-7543, both of MEA.