According to NBC News [1], New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York City joined the environmental group Natural Resource Defense Council [2] in a lawsuit today that attempts to toss out the new efficiency standard the Bush administration has set for residential oil and gas furnaces.

The new standard calls for a raise in energy efficiency from 78 percent to just 82 percent, a move many say is almost meaningless, as almost all furnaces on the market already meet this requirement and it will do nothing to curb emissions or help save people money on heating costs.

"This is just the product of an administration and agency that is hostile to anything that would effect the industry" according to Tim Bollo, an attorney with the legal advocacy group Earthjustice [3]. Clean energy advocates have been calling for a mandate of at least 90 percent, which would affect at least two-thirds of the furances currently being produced.The suit will go before the 2nd U.S Disrict Circuit Court of Appeals. If it can be shown the Department of Energy [4] mandates set these standards arbitarily they could be invalidated.