Officials to vote on smoking ban (Terre Haute Tribune Star) A decision will be reached on a proposed public and work place air pollution ordinance when the Vigo County Board of Commissioners votes at 9 a.m. May 10. [News Source]

DEP permit process draws fire at hearing. Several state legislators used a budget hearing yesterday to accuse the Department of Environmental Protection of being too tough on oil, chemical and pharmaceutical companies. [News Source]

Lawmakers tell DEP: Speed things up. Democrats and Republicans said the Department of Environmental Protection needs to speed up its permitting process for refineries, drug makers and other industries. [News Source]

Air district, critics clash over data. In a development hailed by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District as "historic," this week the pollution-plagued agency asked state regulators to recognize it for an air-quality achievement. [News Source]

Minnkota spring cleaning: $135 million addition. Minnkota Power Cooperative will install $135 million worth of anti-pollution equipment at its Milton Young electric power plant to settle a dispute with the federal Environmental Protection Agency, officials said. [News Source]

Alabama power to pay clean air fine. Alabama Power has reached a Clean Air Act settlement with the U.S. government that will cost the company either $5 million or at least $200 million — depending on which side is talking. [News Source]

Carper to introduce Clean Air Act. With the Indian River Power Plant as a backdrop, Senator Tom Carper announced a plan to significantly decrease power plant emissions by 2015. [News Source]

Most vehicles have no PUC certificates. Though it is mandatory for every motor vehicle to have a Pollution Under Control certificate, majority of the 32-lakh vehicles ply on the roads across the state without a pollution check. [News Source]

Nelson’s Column to carry ads. Nelson's Column is to carry advertising for the first time in its 163-year history, with a campaign featuring images of environmental disaster to promote financial services company Zurich. [News Source]

Bush moves to quell anger over gas price. Facing public outrage over high gas prices, George W. Bush has moved to boost U.S. supply woes by temporarily easing fuel environmental rules, halting replenishment of government oil stockpiles and calling on refiners to add capacity. [News Source]

Bush outlines plan for fuel crunch while we cope. President George W. Bush took aim at rising gas prices and his own sinking popularity by ordering investigations into potential price gouging and halting deposits in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. [News Source]