Colorado Capitol. Photo by Cpt. Spock. Licensed under Creative Commons license 2.0.

We know that 18 states are getting serious with legal action against the EPA on a national level, but local emissions fights in state legislatures also bear watching. Harry Stoffer, writing in Automotive News, describes how a "top industry lobbyist" and president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Dave McCurdy, is going around to statehouses to work against state-based CO₂ rules. In three states - Minnesota, Colorado and Montana - McCurdy's efforts seem to be paying off; those states are retreating from efforts to implement stricter emissions laws. It's no secret that the automakers are against a patchwork of state laws that - gasp - might result in a cleaner environment but would put pressure on automakers to make vehicles that are even cleaner than federal law requires. McCurdy issued a statement against the ruling of a Federal Judge in favor of states regulating greenhouse gases, for example. Still, the next time we talk to Charles Territo or someone else in the Alliance, we'll be sure to ask about all this.

[Source: Harry Stoffer / Automotive News]

General Motor's director of hybrid energy storage systems, Denise Gray (pictured), and Mary Ann Wright, vice president and general manager of hybrid battery systems at Johnson Controls Inc., told a congressional panel today that U.S. auto suppliers need the federal government's help to create the high-tech future-car batteries we're all waiting for. Those lithium ion and nanotech batteries aren't going to create themselves, you know.

Automotive News (subs req'd) is reporting that the two experts spoke at a subcommittee of the House Science and Technology Committee hearing. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Texas, chairman of the subcommittee on energy and environment, said that advanced battery legislation is being drafted by committee leaders.

Related:

• AutoblogGreen Q&A: GM Battery Director Denise Grey

[Source: Harry Stoffer / Automotive News]