Apr. 12--In their continuing quest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, state regulators have uncovered a new villain in the war on global warming: Your big screen TV.

The California Energy Commission is considering a proposal to ban California retailers from selling all but the most energy-efficient televisions. Critics say the new standards could take 25 percent of TVs off the market -- most of them 40 inches or larger -- as well as affect revenue and jobs.

"The CEC proposal will cost California $50 million

annually in state tax revenue and destroy 4,600 jobs that are tied to TV sales, distribution and installation," said Doug Johnson, a director at the Consumer Electronics Association.

A s s o c i at i o n o f f i c i a l s released a report examining the "economic harm" the change poses, including store closings and increased unemployment, consumers paying more, popular TVs being unavailable for purchase, decreased industry competition and less innovation.

"It will probably raise prices for our customers drastically," said Matthew Bagges, m a n age r o f M i d way Appliance in Victorville. "That's what always happens when you limit the supply of a product to the user."

If co n s u m e rs b u y televisions meeting the proposed standards, the CEC calculates it would cut their energy use $18 to $30 per television per year -- though some local consumers don't see the switch as a means of saving money.

"If I can't watch a big screen at home, I'll be driving to the movies more often," said Hank Richards, a digital video production teacher at Granite Hills High School. "What's that going to do to greenhouse gases?"

T h e C E C co u l d approve regulations as early as this summer.

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