Why It's So Bright at Night? Interview with Citizens for Responsible Lighting (Norfolk, Va)

 In this episode of Why It’s So Bright at Night, host Bill McGeeney explores the growing movement in Norfolk, Virginia, led by Citizens for Responsible Lighting, a grassroots group advocating for smarter, healthier, and more environmentally responsible LED streetlighting.

The group formed after residents were disturbed by overly bright 3000K–4000K LEDs installed across the city starting in late 2023 as part of a $5 million retrofit project funded by a $3 million federal grant. Rather than thoughtfully implement the upgrade, Dominion Energy inserted high-CCT LEDs into existing fixtures—including decorative ones, causing excessive glare, poor light distribution, and widespread light trespass into homes and over Norfolk’s coastal waterways.

The guests—Mary Frances Bellman, Joe Reynes, and Lori Baccanari—stress that they are not anti-LED, but are pushing for thoughtful, expert-guided implementation. Their five key requests include:

• Using 2700K or lower CCT lighting (2400K in environmentally sensitive areas)
• Specifying Type II distribution
• Limiting lumens
• Applying effective shielding
• Adopting adaptive lighting controls

A thoughtful reimplementation would protect Nighttime visibility, reduce environmental harm to migratory species and amphibians, and minimize health risks like disrupted circadian rhythms, cancer, and dementia.

Despite presenting to over 40 civic leagues and briefing elected officials, the group faces institutional resistance rooted in outdated 2016–2017 lighting guidelines. Yet, they argue that their proposed approach is not only safer and healthier but cost-neutral, offering a generational opportunity to get urban lighting right from the start. 

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The path to sustainable starry night solutions begin with being a more informed you.

Light Pollution, once thought to be solely detrimental to astronomers, has proven to be an impactful issue across many disciplines of society including ecology, crime, technology, health, and much more!

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