EU proposes stricter clean-air rules .

European Union regulators planned to vote Wednesday on stricter clean-air rules for oil companies, bolstering an environmental campaign that also targets carmakers.

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Merrill targeted in protest over TXU plan. Merrill Lynch & Co., the world's third-largest securities firm, is drawing the scorn of global- warming activists for its role in financing TXU Corp.'s $10 billion plan to build 11 coal-fueled power plants in Texas. [News Source]

West’s coal-fired plant plans prompt warning from enviro groups. Environmental groups warned Tuesday that plans for more coal-fired power plants in the Southwest will worsen the threat of global warming and undermine the states' conservation efforts. [News Source]

Washington state aims to build biofuels industry. Washington state legislators are considering a bill to promote a biofuels industry in the state and require state-owned fleet vehicles to reduce use of fossil fuels. [News Source]

Southwest power plants raise global warming threat. More than a dozen coal-fired power plants slated for Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah could put out 70 million tons of carbon dioxide a year in an effort to satisfy the energy needs of the booming cities of the Southwest – one of the fastest-growing region’s of the country. [News Source]

Report slams Colorado coal power plant carbon emissions. Colorado’s four new coal-fired power plants would emit carbon pollutants in the air equal to the tailpipe exhaust from nearly 2 million cars on the road, according to a report released Tuesday. [News Source]

Hong Kong’s smog hits danger levels. Air pollution in Hong Kong hit dangerous levels Wednesday as a row broke out over a carbon emissions trading plan with China that is aimed at improving the region's chronically poor air quality. [News Source]

EU tackles oil companies over climate change: draft. The European Commission will propose stricter environmental standards for fuel and will require a drop in emissions from oil exploration and transport as part of the fight against global change, a proposal set for release on Wednesday shows. [News Source]

French prez candidates going green. With environmental issues commanding unprecedented attention in France's presidential campaign, contenders from across the political spectrum are scrambling to strengthen their ecological credentials ahead of the April-May vote. [News Source]

Plans for New Schools and Housing Should Consider Ill Effects of Freeway Air Pollution on Children, Study’s Lead Author … (Smart Growth Online) A 13-year respiratory study of some 3,600 California students, started when they were fourth-graders and about 10 years old, found that by their 18th birthday, those who lived within 500 yards of a freeway exhaled three percent less air and at a rate seven percent slower than those who lived at least 1,500 yards, or nearly a mile away, with its lead author, University of Southern California's ... [News Source]

Calif. regulators seek smog extension (Sharewatch) The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's draft cleanup plan proposes the lengthy extension to avoid facing federal sanctions that could cut off more than $2 billion in federal transportation funds to the eight county region, air district officials said. [News Source]