DON THOMPSON
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday allowed California's updated light bulb efficiency standards to take effect with the new year.
U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller of Sacramento rejected a petition from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association and the American Lighting Association to temporarily block new minimum efficiency standards for light bulbs that the California Energy Commission adopted in November.
The judge said the associations are unlikely to succeed in their lawsuit, which argues that the state rules conflict with federal law.
Mueller said state regulators appear to have acted properly under exemptions that gave special privileges to California and Nevada to adopt tougher regulations more quickly than the U.S. Departm
