Efficiency of Ceiling Fans Under Debate

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-cong/2005/apr/12/041202487.html

The efficiency of ceiling fans may not be at the center of the country's energy debate, given record high gasoline prices. Yet the issue has become a focus of critics, including congressional Democrats, who complain Congress is not doing enough to address conservation as part of a broad energy bill.

When the House recently began writing a revised package of energy proposals, Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., wasted no time offering an amendment - the first out of the block - that would call for the Energy Department to establish a federal efficiency standard for home ceiling fans.

But Democrats and outside energy efficiency advocates said Deal's measure would pre-empt stronger fan efficiency requirements already approved or being considered in more than half dozen states, calling it a step backward in efforts to curb energy use.

Congress not only "is doing far too little to improve energy efficiency," but also "will pre-empt stronger state standards," said Rep. Tom Allen, D-Maine, arguing against Deal's measure.

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note: scroll down and read about Home Depot's role in this...

[Massacure]

1. Whats wrong with pre empting the states?

It's not illegal for states to make efficiency more strict than the federal government does, is it?

[jpak]

3. It would be if the GOP has its way...

n/t

[Divernan]

5. Federal legislation "trumps" state or local laws.

In law school, this was covered under the topic of Conflict of Laws.

As an example, the (federal) Interstate Commerce Commission governed interstate moving (among other things), and the legislation creating the Commission included a ban of any state legislation in the area.

Then some years back, the ICC was disbanded to save money in the federal budget, but the federal laws banning state legislation of interstate moving stayed on the books. The result is that currently there is NO law governing, or providing oversight of interstate moving. I learned this when I was researching performance records of interstate movers and discovered the thousands and thousands of lawsuits in California alone, brought by individuals whose furniture/property had been damaged, lost or destroyed in the course of interstate moves, and the movers had refused to make good on the damages, even when the customers had purchased what was advertised as "fully insured" moving services. The states can legislate and oversee moves from point A to point B WITHIN a state, but nothing that crosses over state lines.

Interstate moving is clearly an area where federal law is necessary to provide uniformity and protection for consumers.

[Massacure]

7. Yes but,

Let's say that the federal government says that all fans have to use less than 120 watts of electricity. A state can say that all fans sold within the state must use less than say 100 watts, but if they try to say 150, then the federal law trumps it. Right?

[Coastie for Truth]

10. That's the issue with tail pipe emissions

The Big Three are arguing that Federal law preempts California's old "10% zero emissions" law and the new carbon dioxide emissions standard.

[NMDemDist2]

2. who the heck uses the lights? I sure don't

maybe they should mandate more efficent lights on the darn things

i live in AZ and have 4 fans and they move the air so the house doesn't have as many "hot spots"

screw Home Depot

[whistle]

4. Home depot's ceiling fans are crap and fans do waste electricity

...because people leave them on all the time. Fans do nothing to cool a room, only to create air movement, which when experienced by an occupant, feels cool.

It begs the age old Buddhist question and an answer: If a fan is spinning in a room and no one is there in the room, is the breeze noticed?

[struggle4progress]

6. The fans can make a room feel much warmer in the winter ...

... by circulating air near the ceiling. They do this rather well when on the slowest setting, and this helps to warm the walls.

[Massacure]

8. Especially people who have cathedral ceilings.

Warm air tends to rise, and fans can blow it back down.

[struggle4progress]

9. It can make a difference even in small rooms.