Why allow leaf burning at all in Lynchburg? (The News & Advance) The state Air Pollution Control Board is opposed to burning leaves in Virginia cities that provide leaf collection services. And with good reason. Why should the city that picks up leaves allow its residents to burn them? [News Source]

Congress probes EPA backflip on Cabrillo Ca. project. The US Congress is investigating why the EPA changed its mind over who would regulate air quality for BHP Billiton's proposed Cabrillo Port LNG terminal about 30km offshore from California's Ventura County. [News Source]

Illinois citizen group to sue ethanol plant over air permit. An ethanol plant scheduled to get up and running in Hennepin this year is coming under fire from a citizens' group that says the plant eventually will produce more pollution than permitted. [News Source]

8 Wisconsin counties might see pollution restrictions eased.

As air quality continues to improve in eastern Wisconsin, businesses there might be seeing lighter environmental restrictions.

[News Source]

Gov. Doyle applauds Lakeshore air quality betterment. Manitowoc County is among eight eastern Wisconsin counties that have attained cleaner air and deserve a new regulatory status, Gov. Jim Doyle announced Sunday. [News Source]

Wood-burning boiler fuels disagreement. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is considering its own regulations for wood-burning furnaces. [News Source]

Factories in Thailand province to face inspections. A joint task force will be set up to inspect emissions by petrochemical factories in the heavily-polluted Map Ta Phut industrial estate in Rayong province. [News Source]

Beijing environment watchdog warns of sandstorms. Beijingers can prepare handkerchiefs and face masks for dusty weather this spring because little snow has so far fallen in the dry, grey Chinese capital, a city environmental official said on Monday. [News Source]

Beijing suffers as love affair with cars grows. The number of new vehicles registered in Beijing hit a new record in the first 18 days of 2007. [News Source]

Beijing has more and more cars. Beijing registered a record 22,079 new motor vehicles in just the first 18 days of the year, as city planners brace for the number of cars, trucks and busses to speed past three million by May. [News Source]

China environment official targets “special interests”. Officials beholden to polluting industries are subverting efforts to clean up China's foul air and water, a top Chinese environmental official has said, flagging a fresh battle to enforce environmental rules. [News Source]