Light Polluters Ordinance Up For Action at City Council Tomorrow

Marcia Turner reminds us that our action is needed TODAY.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21st,  City Council will discuss and vote on item 17.1 on the agenda.  This item reads as follows:

17.1.

An Ordinance amending Title 18, Chapter 18.18 (Outdoor Lighting Code) Of the City Code by amending Chapter 18.19.310 (Nonconformance) to add an exception for upward directed sign lighting for off premise signs and by amending Chapter 18.18.120 (Externally Illuminated Sign Standards) to provide for an exception for upward directed sign lighting. The penalty being as provided in Section 18.02.111 (Violations And Penalties) of the El Paso City Code.

Marcia reports: "'off premise signs' means billboards.  Clear Channel is asking for an exemption from our Outdoor Lighting Code (Dark Sky Ordinance).  They are requesting permission to continue using upward directed lights on their billboards.

"They are also requesting a one year extension to change their lights to LED. LED lights produce the same amount of light pollution as the current lights, but will save the company money."

Clear Channel has had 10 years to comply with the current dark sky ordinance. 10 Years!

You can email your City Council Representative and tell her or him to vote NO. Verbiage for your email can be found HERE in red. Or you can just express your disapproval of item 17.1. Tell them "NO LIGHT POLLUTION. Clear Channel must comply."

Your representaive's email is as follows:

District 1 Ann Morgan Lilly lillyam@elpasotexas.gov
District 2 Larry Romero romerol@elpasotexas.gov
District 3 Emma Acosta acostaea@elpasotexas.gov
District 4 Carl Robinson robinsoncl@elpasotexas.gov
District 5 Michiel Noe noem@elpasotexas.gov
District 6 Claudia Ordaz ordazc@elpasotexas.gov
District 7 Lily Limon limonl@elpasotexas.gov
District 8 Cortney Niland nilandcc@elpasotexas.gov
The Mayor Oscar Leeser morenotl@elpasotexas.gov

Tell your friends to email their representatives also. Give them the link to this post at www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com. 

To learn more about light pollution and the benefits of "dark sky" read Paul Bogard's The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light." Just click on the book icon at the top of the right column.