New Hampshire has joined 13 other states in a federal lawsuit against the US Government.
The states are demanding that Department of Energy tighten energy efficiency standards.
As NHPR's Mark Bevis reports, this is only the most recent example of a strategy to forge multi-state law suits.
To see copy of lawsuit click here
By law, the Department of Energy must periodically update energy efficiency standards for more than a dozen appliances.
Manufacturers of water heaters and air conditioners, lamps and motors must then meet those standards.
But the suit filed in Federal District Court in New York City charges the Department of Energy has missed several deadlines for updating those regulations, some by more than a decade.
And as a result, the nation's energy saving standards are many years out of date.
Maureen Smith is a Senior Assistant Attorney General for the State of New Hampshire.
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Senior Assistant Attorney General Maureen Smith is in the Environmental Division of the AG's office.
Smith points out there is a precedent for this most recent case.
Back in July 2002, NH joined in a Federal lawsuit against the DOE after it tried to weaken efficiency standards for central air conditioners.
NH and the other plaintiffs won in federal appeals court and the DOE was required to mandate tougher energy saving regulations.
For NHPR News, this is Mark Bevis
