Rockland: Local woman to attend clean-air conference.  ROCKLAND, Maine — A leader of the residents group opposing diesel locomotive idling in downtown Rockland has been invited to take part in an international environmental conference in California. Bangor Daily News.                                                                                                         http://bangornews.com/news/t/midcoast.aspx?articleid=156969&zoneid=179

Added November 19, 2007:

Edison zaps lease-and-build program. Southern California Edison will no longer lease right of way space to storage unit companies or for container storage. LA Times, Los Angeles , California . http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-edison18nov18,1,6574328.story?coll=la-headlines-california

China not fighting off e-waste nightmare. For five years, environmentalists and the media have highlighted the danger to Chinese workers who dismantle much of the world's junked electronics. Yet a visit to this southeastern Chinese town regarded as the heartland of "e-waste" disposal shows little has improved. In fact, the problem is growing worse because of China 's own contribution. SeattlePI , Seattle , Washington . http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1104ap_china_toxic_electronics.html

Added November 15, 2007:

Villaraigosa urges Mexico port trade. L.A. mayor says Mexican plans for harbors, trade increases will spur cooperation. Ports in Mexico are expanding at such a rapid pace that the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors should find a way to seize the opportunity rather than fight over anticipated increases in Asian imports, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Wednesday. Press-Telegram, Long Beach , California. http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_7465551

County considers suing over traffic delays at rails. Traffic delays at railroad crossings have gotten so bad, and the response from Southern California ports and railroads so lackluster, that the county should consider suing both under state environmental law, elected officials from around Riverside County said Wednesday. The Press-Enterprise , Inland Empire, California. http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_trans15.32c206d.html

Added November 14, 2007:

Seattle , Tacoma and Vancouver ports seek to reduce air pollution. The ports of Seattle , Tacoma and Vancouver , B.C. released an updated draft of their plan to cut maritime industry air pollution by 2015 on Thursday, including for the first time specific emissions reduction goals for trucks and trains. SeattlePI, Seattle , Washington . http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/338946_portgreen09.html

Trucks, trains here to stay. Early results from a survey conducted by the university Cal Poly Pomona show that 94 percent of warehouse distribution center operators in the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley have no plans to relocate in the near future. Daily Bulletin , Inland Valley , California. http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_7430774

Train engineer and conductor killed. A Union Pacific freight train engineer and conductor were killed Saturday when their train crashed into the rear of another near the Salton Sea , derailing nearly a dozen locomotives and rail cars, a Union Pacific spokesman said. LA Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-train12nov12,1,6913455.story?coll=la-headlines-california

Added November 12, 2007:

Oceangoing ships among fastest-growing air pollution sources. Recognition is growing that oceangoing ships are major sources of air pollution as they cross the globe with massive engines burning highly polluting fuel. Norfolk Virginia Pilot http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-va--shippollution1111nov11,0,1173057.story

Dozens of birds killed, hundreds of thousands threatened by spill. The black oil spreading for miles from the Golden Gate is staining one of the richest wildlife regions on the Pacific Coast and threatening hundreds of thousands of birds as well as marine mammals and fish that feed around San Francisco Bay . San Francisco Chronicle . http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/09/MNPCT93G5.DTL&hw=Dozens+of+birds+killed&sn=001&sc=1000

Judge Paves the Way For Long-Delayed ICC. A federal judge yesterday upheld the Maryland State Highway Administration's environmental study of an 18.8-mile intercounty connector through Montgomery and Prince George 's counties, clearing the way for the road's construction after 50 years of controversy. Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/08/AR2007110801537.html?hpid=sec-metro

Added November 9, 2007:

China Shifts Pollution Fight. China is introducing new antipollution regulations for its booming export industry, in an unusual collaboration between the government's environmental-enforcement arm and the Ministry of Commerce. The rules could affect thousands of Chinese suppliers that make goods for multinational companies. Wall Street Journal . http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119383925160677672.html?mod=yahoo_hs&ru=yahoo

Shipping pollution linked to deaths. A new health study links air pollution generated by international shipping to more than 60,000 premature deaths across the globe annually, including as many as 8,800 in North America . Press Telegram, Long Beach , CA. http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_7389928

Drive Time Raises Health Risk. A new study has found that while Los Angeles residents spend about 6 percent (1.5 hours) of their day on the road, drive time accounts for between 33 and 45 percent of their exposure to harmful air pollutants. Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/04/AR2007110401109.html

Trade in the Americas : Expanding the Panama Canal for the 21st Century. The Panama Canal Authority is experiencing every company's dream—a steady influx of business with more than it can handle in the wings. Fueled by the rapid growth of Asian exports, the canal has to expand to remain viable. And when it does, it will ensure that the fleet of post-Panamax (PPX) ships, which grew 143 percent since 2002, can finally transit the canal—raising the threshold of trans-Pacific trade up a magnitude. World Trade Magazine. http://www.worldtrademag.com/CDA/Articles/Cover_Story/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000196975

Added November 8, 2007:

Added November 2, 2007:

Ships are an increasing source of air pollution. Recognition is growing that ships are major sources of air pollution as they cross the globe with massive engines burning highly polluting fuel. Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot , Virginia.
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=136053&ran=210997