Ironically, the AMA may win the day though its guidelines are no mandate to the lighting community. The suggestion that street lights be installed at 3000K CCT or warmer was just that — a suggestion. Yet it appears many municipalities and utilities are moving toward 3000K, whether based on citizen preference or on fears that the AMA position could become a legal issue.

Georgia Power, for instance, said it swapped from 4000K- to 3000K-CCT luminaires in the middle of its LED conversion program. The change occurred in the third quarter of 2016. Later this year, the utility will transition to 3000K for residential security lights, too, even though LEDs in that application are replacing cool metal-halide lamps. Georgia Power said it had some complaints about the 4000K lights. The utility also said it's tough to discern the difference in the two and that it will still install 4000K lights when a customer requests them.