 |
 |
Daylight-saving time expanding in 2007
|
Starting in 2007, daylight-saving time will extend a month longer, thanks to an energy bill passed in 2005. The provisions of the bill call for DST to begin three weeks earlier, on the second Sunday in March, and end one week later, on the first Sunday in November. Currently, DST starts on the first Sunday in April and ends on the last Sunday in October.
The DST extension was touted by Congress as an energy-saving measure, but there is still much disagreement among scientists and the public as to whether that will be the result. Studies done in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Transportation have shown that the country’s electricity usage is trimmed by about one percent each day with DST. Opponents argue that gasoline consumption increases under DST.
The bill requires the secretary of energy to report to Congress on the impact of this extension upon energy consumption in the United States; Congress also retains the right to revert DST back to the 2005 time schedules.
Golf facilities may be affected by the DST extension in different ways.
Extending daylight further into the evening hours could translate into more golf being played and additional revenue at some facilities. Extending DST may affect the scheduling of maintenance staff: With sunlight appearing later in the day, employees may have to adjust their work schedules.
To get an idea of how time will change, consider this example: On March 11, 2006, the sun rose in Dallas at 6:43 a.m. and set at 6:32 p.m. On March 11, 2007, the sun will rise in Dallas at 7:43 a.m. and set at 7:32 p.m. A list of times for the 100 largest U.S. cities can be found at: www.timetemperature.com/tzus/dst_extended_sunrise_sunset_ta.shtml.
DST has been used legislatively in the U.S. since World War I. Historically, any alterations to DST were done to conserve energy. In 1918, in order to save resources for the war effort, Congress placed the country on DST for the remainder of World War I. It was observed for seven months in 1918 and 1919. Because people typically rose earlier and went to bed earlier than people do today, the law was unpopular and later repealed.
Congress reinstated DST when America was at war again in February of 1942. Time in the U.S. was advanced one hour to save energy. It remained advanced one hour forward year-round until Sept. 30, 1945.
After Sept. 30, 1945, and until 1966, there was no U.S. law regarding DST. States and cities were free to observe DST or not. By 1966, some 100 million Americans were observing DST. This created confusion for industries that required scheduling transportation. Congress ended the confusion by establishing one pattern across the country. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 created DST to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October. Any area that wanted to be exempt from DST could do so by passing a local ordinance.
Following the 1973 oil embargo, Congress extended DST to eight months, rather than the normal six months. From Jan. 6, 1974, to April 27, 1975, clocks were set ahead for a 15-month period.
The last time DST was adjusted was in 1986 when President Reagan signed Public Law 99-359, which changed DST from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in April. No change was made to the ending date of the last Sunday in October.
Today, Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation), Hawaii and the territories of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa are the only places in the U.S. that do not observe DST but instead stay on standard time all year long.
RECENT issues
 |
 |
November |
October 2006 |