City Council Bill Calls for Dimmer Manhattan Skyline

The gleaming Manhattan skyline might go dim under a new city proposal to save energy.

The New York Times reports the City Council is considering a bill that would limit the amount of external light commercial buildings may use when empty at night. The bill could affect nearly 40,000 structures in the city and could mean major changes in the look of the city’s stunning nighttime silhouette.

Certain “landmark” buildings like the Chrysler and Empire State buildings would be exempt under the bill, the Times reports. Also exempt would be buildings where people are inside in the overnight hours, including offices that maintain security or have cleaning crews.

The Times reports that building operators who don’t shut off the lights could be fined $1,000.

The measure has drawn support from Mayor de Blasio, but the Times reports that others at a hearing Wednesday were worried that dimmer streets and skies could affect safety in the city.

Some advocates said in the hearing that they think the measures don’t go far enough and questioned if the city’s brightest beacon -- the Empire State Building -- should turn down the lights at night.

“Many of us have felt a sense of pride in (the skyline's) beauty,” said Catherine Skopic, one of the speakers at the hearing Wednesday. “However, now that we are in this climate crisis, we see these lights as something else. We see them as wasteful of energy.”

Contact Us