Canoe trip aimed at copper mine. Northeastern Minnesota environmental activists are planning a canoe trip Saturday to draw attention to a proposed copper mine under Birch Lake at Babbitt. [News Source]

Wisconsin, states challenge EPA power plant rules. Wisconsin and 15 other states are challenging a controversial decision by a the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to approve "cap-and-trade" practices of mercury-emitting power plants. [News Source]

State’s tire-recycling program going up in smoke. In 2004, New York launched an ambitious program to clean up the estimated 30 million to 60 million waste tires, but the project hasn't kept tires from being used in incinerators. [News Source]

SoCal Edison says Mohave power plant shutdown is permanent. Southern California Edison has abandoned plans to upgrade and restart the shuttered Mohave Generating Station power plant near Laughlin, Nev., saying high costs and regulatory uncertainties drove the decision. [News Source]

Knauf to boost emissions. Shasta County, California supervisors gave Knauf Insulation in Shasta Lake the go-ahead Tuesday to increase emissions, even as the county is still gathering written comments on the proposal. [News Source]

DEQ returns haze program to feds. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is returning to the federal government a program to fight haze in national parks and wilderness areas because financial support from the EPA is inadequate. [News Source]

DNR to issue air quality watches. Wisconsin residents are familiar with thunderstorm watches and tornado watches. Now the state is introducing air quality watches. [News Source]

Power plant emissions, soot levels down. A new report from the state Department of Environmental Protection offers a mixed assessment of the quality of West Virginia’s air, water and land. [News Source]

Air pollution tops environmental problems. The report shows water run-off and air pollution are two of the state's biggest problems. [News Source]

Va. to revise emission controls. Virginia plans to control airborne emissions from certain factories and power plants with regulations considered softer than current state rules but tougher than the federal program. [News Source]

Time to study bad air days. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and New York state Sen. John Sabini voiced their support Monday for a bill that would require regular air-quality monitoring near LaGuardia and Kennedy airports. [News Source]