Minnesota is joining California's fight for state-imposed greenhouse gas limits on cars, trucks and SUVs.
Attorney General Lori Swanson says Minnesota is joining a coalition of states led by California in suing the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The lawsuit seeks to preserve state's ability to regulate vehicle emissions.
California's lawsuit was triggered by the EPA's decision last month to deny it the waiver it needed under the federal Clean Air Act to impose its own standards.
The EPA's administrator said new federal regulations would be more effective than a patchwork of state laws.
California officials contend their 2004 law is tougher than the new national standard.
It would have required the auto industry to cut emissions by one-third in new vehicles by 2016 or reach an average of 36.8 miles per gallon.
Thirteen of the 15 states joining the lawsuit have already adopted, or are in the process of adopting, the California standards. Minnesota has not.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
