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Lawmakers seize the day for sunshine

Congress approves an extra month of daylight saving time beginning March 2007.

By ANITA KUMAR
Published July 30, 2005

WASHINGTON - Here comes the sun.

Congress voted Friday to extend the summer, altering daylight saving time so it will start three weeks earlier in the spring and end one week later in the fall.

Instead of running from early April to late October, daylight saving would run from the second Sunday in March and end the first Sunday in November.

It will go into effect in March 2007.

"The beauty of daylight saving time is that it just makes everyone feel sunnier," said Rep. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and sponsor dubbed the "Sun King" for his efforts to alter daylight saving over the years.

The change is touted as a way to conserve energy at a time of record oil prices.

It's one of the most visible changes in a 1,724-page bill that outlines the nation's energy plan. The bill includes billions of dollars in incentives to increase production of oil, natural gas and other energy sources and tax credits for purchase of hybrid-electric cars.

The bill passed the House Thursday and the Senate Friday. Both Florida senators, Republican Mel Martinez and Democrat Bill Nelson, voted against the bill because it includes an inventory of gas and oil reserves in all U.S. waters, including Florida's, that they fear will lead to drilling off the coast. It now goes to President Bush for his signature.

Besides conserving energy, the benefits of more daylight saving are being touted in countless other ways.

Making it safer to drive home from work. Reducing the number of muggings. Boosting the economy by allowing more people to shop in the evenings and go out to dinner. Allowing gardeners and sports enthusiasts to stay out longer. Getting more voters to the polls on Election Day.

Even giving kids an extra hour of trick-or-treating on Halloween night.

Changing the clocks means more daylight in the evenings, but more dark mornings. And that concerns some.

School groups worry about children walking to school in the dark. Technicians complain about recalibrating computers and other electronics. Religious groups are upset it will create a hardship for some, including those of Jewish faith, because certain prayers cannot be recited before sunrise. Dairy farmers fear it could disorient their cows.

The airlines aren't happy either. The Air Transport Association, which represents major U.S. airlines, said the change will extend the time the United States is out of synch with key European, Asian and Western Hemisphere nations, making it more difficult to fit new arrivals and departures times into the tightly controlled schedules at international airports and coordinate connecting domestic and foreign flights.

The industry argues it will cost $147-million due to lost connections and uncompetitive schedules, and give European and Asian carriers an advantage.

"Extending daylight saving time will have a significant cost, causing severe schedule disruptions that affect not just the airlines, but their customers as well," said James May, the association's president and CEO.

Lawmakers originally wanted to extend summer for an extra eight weeks, but congressional negotiators agreed to a compromise of four weeks and to conduct a Department of Energy study on how much a change would affect oil consumption.

"We ought to take a hard look at this before we jump into it," said Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho.

The last study from the mid 1970s indicated changing the clock reduced overall oil demand by about 1 percent each day, comparable to about 100,000 barrels of crude oil a day.

Benjamin Franklin first suggested manipulating the daylight in 1784 as a way to save on candles. It was used in both world wars to save energy for the military effort.

Congress created the current system in 1966, though it was temporarily extended during the oil embargo and energy crisis of the 1970s.

In 1986, Congress moved the starting date to the first Sunday in April - its current schedule - after reaching a compromise that allowed a three-week extension.

Three states - Indiana, Arizona and Hawaii - do not adhere completely or in part to daylight saving time. In April, Indiana passed a law to ensure that in the future, all parts of state will observe daylight saving time.

"Extending daylight saving time makes sense, especially with skyrocketing energy costs," said Rep. Fred Upton, the Michigan Republican and sponsor who was introduced as "Benjamin Franklin" on the House floor Thursday.

"My daylight saving amendment is one small piece of the overall energy package, and with oil at $60 a barrel and gas at $2.50 a gallon, every bit of conservation helps."

Times researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this report.

Here are some other highlights of the energy bill:

Total cost to the government after revenue offsets: $12.3-billion over 10 years.

Requirement for an inventory of offshore oil and gas resources, including areas now off-limits to drilling.

Tax breaks of $14.5-billion over 10 years for energy companies, renewable energy sources and promotion of efficiency.

Requirement for refiners to use 7.5-billion gallons of ethanol annually by 2012, double current production.

New efficiency standards for commercial appliances, from air conditioners to refrigerators.

Requirement for utilities to meet federal reliability standards for the electric transmission grid, hoping to avoid blackouts such as the one in the summer of 2003.

Easing the way for more imports of liquefied natural gas by giving federal regulators final say over import terminals.

$1-billion for coastal environmental management in states where there is offshore oil production.

Loan guarantees and other subsidies for clean energy technologies and new nuclear reactors.

A $1.8-billion program to promote clean coal research and development.

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Last modified July 30, 2005, 01:26:35]