Battle heats up over proposed power plant. Community leaders near East Boston said the diesel plant would pose a serious health risk to the area, which is already the third most environmentally overburdened plant in the state. [News Source]

Mercury rules might be boon for utilities. South Carolina power companies could make tens of millions of dollars under a mercury trading program environmentalists say will allow out-of-state utilities to pollute the Palmetto State. [News Source]

Getting smarter on energy.

We need to knock down barriers and create the incentives that will guarantee our energy, climate, and economic security. We need a comprehensive approach that addresses utilities, transportation, and buildings.

[News Source]

EPA unveils plans for new year on vehicle emissions, fuel standards. More aggressive air quality improvement measures and tighter restrictions on vehicle emissions will be implemented this year, said Taiwan's EPA yesterday in their year-end report. [News Source]

Bhogi Day pollution has come down since 2001: Minister. The pollution level on the Bhogi Day has come down drastically since 2001 when the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board began awareness campaigns against burning tyres and plastics. [News Source]

State seeks to expand ban on open-burning; hearing set Jan. 31. A plan to expand the state’s open-burning ban will go to a public hearing, as regulators work to meet long-term federal smog-control standards. [News Source]

Ohio EPA fines local lime and stone plant. In separate settlements with Ohio EPA, a Findlay-based company agreed to make major changes at its plant in Carey, and pay a civil penalty of $274,000 for air pollution violations at its facilities in Bucyrus and Carey. [News Source]

Mercury still problem for Merrimack. Despite successful state efforts to cut mercury emissions from incinerators, the Merrimack River south of the Public Service of New Hampshire plant in Bow still has some of the most mercury-polluted wildlife in the northeast. [News Source]

Court allows groups’ appeal Watchdogs contest VY permit change. A Vermont court has denied Entergy's request to disqualify a pair of anti-nuclear groups as parties to an appeal contesting a change to a thermal discharge permit for the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. [News Source]

Brio site no longer a cleanup priority. The Brio Refining Superfund site, long an eyesore and a cause of environmental and health concerns, no longer is on a national priorities list of sites needing further cleanup. [News Source]

Utah’s air, land and water get clean bill of health. The quality of Utah's water and land has improved over the past 25 years, according to the Utah Report on the Environment released Thursday. [News Source]