Regional News

2008

  • April 28 — The City Manager for Cambridge, MA, has been asked to draw up a plan "to make city outdoor lighting in parks, along streets and on buildings energy efficient and respectful of "dark sky" principles." Contact Councilor Henrietta Davis to voice your support!

  • April 6 — According to an article in the 'Boston Globe,' officials in Shirley, MA, may turn off many of the town's streetlights to help bridge a $600,000 shortfall in the municipal budget. The Town of Winchendon likewise decided to turn off many streetlights beginning in July 2007.

  • Jan. 28 — Connecticut's Department of Public Utility Control issued a ruling that paves the way for "midnight rates" for streetlights. To see the ruling, download the document here and scroll to the streetlighting section on page 133.

2007

  • Dec. 16 — A thorough article on the spread of light pollution throughout Rhode Island and New England appears in the ''Providence Journal''.

  • Nov. 19 — A Union Leader article describes how Waterville Valley, NH, converted to fully shielded streetlights and loves the result.

  • Nov. 18 — House Bill 808 comes before the Massachusetts Legislature's Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy

  • Nov. 12 — The Boston Globe published an editorial, "Hope for a Dimmer Future," urging state politicians to pass outdoor-lighting legislation. See also the supportive Letter to the Editor published on Nov. 14th.

  • Oct. 4 — The Boston Globe publishes "Blinded by the Lights," a feature-length article about the spread of light pollution.

  • June 14 — NELPAG reps lead a panel discussion about light pollution at a meeting of the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston

  • May 27 — The home observatory of Mario Motta, a member of the NELPAG Council, is featured in the Boston Globe.

  • May 1 — The city of Newton, MA, begins replacing all 8,400 of its streetlights with fully shielded, energy-efficient ones.