Air

"The Obama administration on Monday proposed to strengthen a key air pollution health standard to better protect children and people with respiratory illnesses."

"The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will evaluate older coal-fired power plants for compliance with today's federal air quality standards, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine announced today. The state will survey air pollution from facilities throughout Virginia that were initially grandfathered by the 1970 federal Clean Air Act."

"Iowa's largest utility companies are ramping up their opposition to proposed state rules that would require them to monitor the mercury being emitted from their power plants, public records obtained by The Des Moines Register show."

"The federal agency has proposed regulations that could cut mercury emissions 81% to 93% annually. Industry representatives warn the rules would increase costs and could lead to outsourcing."

"The air across Iowa is so polluted that the state is perilously close to violating new federal limits aimed at protecting human health."

"BP Products North America Inc. is being sued by Texas authorities who accuse the petrochemical giant of 46 pollution violations at its Texas City refinery -- including one tied to an explosion that killed 15 workers and injured 170 others four years ago."