China reports cities suffering from severe air pollution (People’s Daily) More than half of Chinese cities suffer from air pollution and over one third have no centralized sewage treatment facilities, according to a report by the state environment watchdog. [News Source]

The battle for Seattle’s trees is beginning. Since 1972 Seattle has lost nearly 1.7 million trees — more than half of all the trees standing then, according to a new city report. [News Source]

New asphalt plant threatens El Morro. The residents and environment of the El Morro, New Mexico area are once again facing a hot asphalt plant in their midst, but this time it's a done deal. [News Source]

Citizen’s group says DNR data shows ammonia emissions too high. A citizen advocacy group says new environmental data shows that factory farms are releasing levels of ammonia above recommended safe health standards in Iowa. [News Source]

Regulators fine company over deadly smokestack fire. Federal regulators have fined the contractor upgrading a coal-fired power plant owned by Columbus, Ohio-based American Electric Power $107,100 for safety violations following a fatal smokestack fire in March. [News Source]

Study links health risks, 9/11. The largest study of rescue workers at the World Trade Center site has found that 70% developed breathing problems while working there and — to the surprise of doctors — many were still suffering years later. [News Source]

Car share program shifts to higher gear. A car-sharing program is revving up in Nevada City, one of the first small communities to experiment with the environmentally-friendly concept. [News Source]

Time running out to swap those old wood stoves. There aren’t many snow-free months left to replace old polluting wood stoves in Truckee, Nevada. [News Source]

Councilman pushes incentives to clean S.A. air. As San Antonio, Texas' dirty-air woes mount, one city councilman wants to give residents a bigger financial incentive to drive cleaner vehicles. [News Source]

One-hour ozone standard within reach for BR. If September goes well, Louisiana could meet a federal one-hour standard for ozone pollution for the first time. [News Source]

Couple find it does pay to go green. Dan and Megan Abraham were finished with their fuel-slurping, air-polluting, gas-powered lawn mower. So when Dan heard about a government buyback program for gas mowers, he jumped at the chance. [News Source]