Monterey battles residents over energy-efficient light bulbs.

In late 2009, the city of Monterey tried to get a jump on California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 by changing streetlights throughout the city to energy-efficient light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. But since 2012, the city has been fighting a lawsuit from a group of residents called Turn Down The Lights, who claim the new lights are too bright and the city did not perform proper environmental reviews.

“The city was, and is, excited about the project because of its positive environmental impact,” Monterey City Attorney Christine Davi says. “Outside of the lawsuit, we haven’t heard a peep from the public in years.”

Cities across the state have been switching to LED lights to meet the Global Warming Solutions Act’s requirement that cities reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, Assistant City Manager Hans Uslar says.

Since all of Monterey’s streetlights were replaced with LEDs in 2012, the city has reduced electricity costs for streetlights from $170,000 to $102,000 annually, Uslar says, and achieved 43-percent energy savings. (Over that same time period, they’ve spent more than $80,000 fighting the lawsuit.)

But residents behind the lawsuit claim the city bypassed an environmental review they believe is required by the California Environmental Quality Act on the impacts of brighter LED lights. The city, on the other hand, claims changing light bulbs is exempted from the law.

“Our clients are concerned about the impact of LEDs,” says Molly Erickson, a Monterey-based attorney representing Turn Down The Lights. “If the CEQA process had been followed, these lights wouldn’t have been chosen. There are different formats and temperatures that would have been more appropriate.”

Erickson cites a recent stance adopted by the American Medical Association claiming that LEDs can be harmful when used as streetlights by increasing glare and making driving more difficult.

Seaside converted its streetlights to LEDs last month, and Seaside City Manager Craig Malin says he can count the complaints the city has received on one hand.

Pacific Grove is currently studying the impact LEDs would have on the city, a process lauded by Erickson. There are currently three test lights in the city, located at the Pacific Grove Municipal Links, Forest Grove Elementary School and the Pacific Grove Community Center. P.G. city officials are welcoming feedback from residents through the city website.

Unlike Monterey, which owns and maintains its own streetlights, most lights in Seaside and Pacific Grove are the property of Pacific Gas & Electric; the company is behind the conversion.

Monterey County Superior Court Judge Lydia Villarreal will likely make a ruling on the Monterey case in early August, Davi says.

If the judge rules against the city, Monterey would be forced to conduct an environmental review, which could lead to light mitigation possibly including dimmers, shades or even new LEDs with a warmer light temperature.

There are many ways to reduce the impact of LEDs, says Erickson, Turn Down The Lights is not looking for wholesale light replacement.

Since the installation of the lights, financed with a $1.5 million low-interest loan from the state, 60 shields have been placed on fixtures, blocking LEDs from shining on residences – including Erickson’s, Davi notes.

“We’re not against LEDs and energy efficiency,” Erickson says. “But the city went about this the wrong way.”

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to clarify LED replacement is just one of a few possible outcomes if the court were to rule against the city of Monterey.