The Department of Energy’s (DOE) inspector general (IG) released an audit report Wednesday on the agency’s management of the national appliance efficiency standards program. The audit confirms serious concerns that we have been raising for years. More importantly, it shows DOE is addressing those concerns and strengthening a vital program.

Next time you’re at a night game or in a big box store, look up—if you see bright white lights housed in dome-shaped fixtures, you’re probably looking at metal halide lights. Strong [PDF] new energy efficiency standards for metal halide lamp fixtures proposed yesterday by the U.S.