NORFOLK, Va. — Residents have raised concerns over the color temperature of lights that line the Norfolk streets, resulting in Dominion Energy taking action.
For Mary Frances Bellman, the fight for better street lighting started at her own front door.
"My husband and I woke up one night to uber bright lights shining into our bedroom window," Bellman told WTKR News 3 in April 2025.
She’s a member of Citizens for Responsible Lighting, a group that has spent months urging the city and Dominion Energy to consider lighting that’s more compatible with human health and the environment.
Watch previous coverage: Norfolk group advocates for eco-friendly streetlighting
Bellman said the coalition’s push intensified after Dominion Energy began a large-scale replacement of traditional streetlights with LED fixtures.
As of this summer, roughly 9,000 of the city’s 30,000 lights have already been switched out.
“Those lights went in front of my house in November of 2023, so this is a sustained effort that has required persistence,” Bellman said.
In an earlier interview this spring, she explained the importance of choosing the right LED color.
"You can have an LED that is amber in color, and you can have an LED that is a super, super blue, white... for human health, safety and the environment, you need to stick in the warmer range,” she said.
Watch previous coverage: Rep. Bobby Scott delivers $3 million to the city of Norfolk to upgrade street lights
Bellman has spent months presenting to civic leagues and community organizations to raise awareness of the issue. She’s pointed out research showing that harsh lighting can disrupt circadian rhythms — not only in people, but also in wildlife.
Dominion Energy told News 3's Jay Greene it will now offer a 2700 Kelvin option for streetlight replacements—warmer than the 3000 and 4000 Kelvin fixtures currently in wide use.
“The new color temperature offerings may be almost imperceptible to the human eye with the difference between 3000 Kelvin and 2700 Kelvin,” said Tiffany Miller, outdoor lighting manager at Dominion Energy. “But there would be a slightly warmer glow for that 2700 Kelvin fixture.”
City leaders say the change gives them a chance to reassess.
Watch related coverage: A look at Norfolk’s Real-Time Crime Center one year after opening
“We’re roughly 9,000 lights into a 30,000 light replacement project. We're going to now assess the technology that's available,” said Norfolk City Councilman Jeremy McGee.
He says this moment offers a fresh opportunity to be thoughtful.
“This is an opportunity to create a lighting system that, again, is environmentally friendly, a lighting system that we look at and are proud of, but also one that adapts to the environment,” Norfolk City Councilman Jeremy McGee said in a previous interview.
Dominion says it developed the updated lighting offering after listening to customers and internal experts, including sustainability and environmental teams. The utility also provides “zero uplight” fixtures — designed to direct light downward and reduce glare and light pollution in sensitive areas.
Bellman welcomes the progress but says more work is ahead.
“We will continue to work with Norfolk City officials and Dominion Energy to complete this process,” she said.
Dominion Energy says residential and commercial customers can now request the warmer lighting options, and community members outside Norfolk can advocate for similar changes by contacting their local governments.
Click here for more information about Dominion Energy's fixtures and lighting services.
