For many Hoboken + Jersey City locals, the Manhattan skyline is the backdrop to their lives. The city lights have seemed to replace stars in the night sky for many. Yet, a New York State bill could change the skyline for many residents in the next few years. New York State representatives introduced a bill that aims to reduce light pollution in New York City, which would require certain lighting fixtures to go dark after 11PM. Here’s what the Dark Skies bill means for New York City and what Hoboken + Jersey City residents can expect if it becomes a law.
The Dark Skies Bill
The Dark Skies bill aims to reduce light pollution across New York State and focuses on energy conservation, wildlife protection, and improving public safety.
The bill would require all outdoor lighting fixtures to be shielded. That means the direct light must face downward, not outward or upward. This will apply to all residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal properties. It means anyone in New York State who installs or operates outdoor lighting, such as property owners, businesses, and municipalities. Stricter rules for new installations and gradual requirements for existing lighting.
Older, non-compliant lights can still be used if they are turned off between 11PM and 5AM or if they are motion-activated. For outdoor recrational lightings, like athletic fields, those lights must be turned off overnight from 11PM to 5AM with some event exceptions…