REFILE-UPDATE 1-Calif sues DOE on washing-machine water rules

(Refiles to correct word to "technologically" instead of "technically" in 10th paragraph )

By Bernie Woodall

LOS ANGELES, April 26 (Reuters) - California said on Thursday it has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy for failing to uphold the state's stringent standards for water-efficient washing machines.

The announcement of the suit, filed last week, comes a day after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger threatened to sue the federal Environmental Protection Agency if it does not act soon on the state's request to impose stricter-than-federal automobile emissions standards.

By Thursday, five of the 11 states that also seek stricter auto emission standards -- Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Oregon and Rhode Island -- had sent letters to the EPA in support of California's threat, said Frank O'Donnell of the group Clean Air Watch.

The EPA had agreed on Tuesday to consider California's request to limit tailpipe emissions and hold a hearing May 22 in Washington.

The suit already filed regarding washing machine efficiency standards contests the DOE's 2004 denial of a waiver to federal standards requested by the state energy commission.

"California has had to sue the Department of Energy five times over the last several years to get them on board with energy efficiency. The courts have sided with California five times," energy commission spokeswoman Claudia Chandler told Reuters.

"So, we'll see them in court."