A public health hazard allowed. Secondhand smoke is an "alarming" public health hazard, U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona said last week. Quick. Someone inform the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners. [News Source]

Official wants to revisit vote on Long Beach airport. Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga, who cast a key vote supporting an environmental impact report for expanding the airport's terminal, said she will ask the council to rescind that vote or seek other ways to avert a court challenge. [News Source]

CWLP working on deal with Sierra Club. City Water, Light and Power is cutting a secret deal with the Sierra Club by agreeing to buy wind-generated electricity from a yet-to-be-built facility in McLean County, IL, and to further reduce emissions from its planned new power plant, in return for dropping objections to the plant. [News Source]

Countywide seeks OK for odor-control flare. The Countywide Recycling and Disposal Facility has asked the state for permission to install a second gas flare to overcome an odor problem that has lasted at least since January. [News Source]

Planting the seeds: Florida’s ethanol industry hopes to be fully grown by 2008. There's gasoline, gasoline everywhere, but not a drop of E85 for South Florida cars to drink. [News Source]

Big Blue focus: Controlling pollution. Few of the 4 million people expected to buy the Sony PlayStation 3, when it debuts this fall, will give a thought to the wastes poured into the tiny Gildersleeve Brook as IBM Corp.'s East Fishkill plant makes the high-powered chips buried in the game consoles' innards. [News Source]

Logan taxiway study finds no new ways to cut noise, pollution. A recent federal evaluation of the environmental impact of a proposed centerfield taxiway at Logan International Airport has found that nothing more can be done to reduce the noise and air pollution it may cause in East Boston and Winthrop neighborhoods. [News Source]

Air pollution advisory in effect for today, Monday. Air pollution advisory days have been issued for today and Monday in Clark, Greene, Miami and Montgomery counties, the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission announced Friday. [News Source]

Hong Kong to switch off in pollution protest. Environmentalists hope to turn out the lights of Hong Kong's dazzling skyline in a protest aimed at telling the world about the city's rapidly worsening air pollution, organisers said Sunday. [News Source]

Ford’s hybrid strategy baffling. Understandably, some are puzzled by Ford Motor Co.'s recent decision to give up on plans to build more hybrid vehicles. [News Source]

An unlikely spark in alternative energy. After a year of stellar performance, producers of alternative energy — from ethanol to solar and wind power — took a beating in the stock market this spring. [News Source]