Added 29 September 2007:

Ships are top port polluters. Officials are looking to create clean-air program by next year. The first inventory of air pollution connected to the Unified Port of San Diego shows that oceangoing vessels accounted for most of the nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particle emissions last year. The San Diego Union Tribune, California . http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070927-9999-1m27port.html

Added 28 September 2007:

Port clean-air plan will have to wait. High costs and competing efforts by the state were cited as the chief reasons in delaying a plan to reduce diesel truck emissions by 80 percent at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach , officials confirmed this week. Daily Breeze , Los Angeles. http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/10062966.html?page=1&c=y

National Rail Freight Infrastructure Capacity and Investment Study (PDF).A study assessing the long-term capacity expansion needs of the continental U.S. freight railroads. It provides a first approximation of the rail freight infrastructure improvements and investments needed to meet the U.S. Department of Transportation's (U.S. DOT) projected demand for rail freight transportation in 2035. Association of American Railroads , Washington , DC . http://www.aar.org/PubCommon/Documents/natl_freight_capacity_study.pdf

Added 26 September 2007:

Reefer madness. In the Port of Los Angeles, huge stacks of discarded refigerator containers are piling up-- half a million last year were added. They hiss chemicals into the air that can cause skin cancer and global warming. It's an environmental graveyard that evades environmental requirements. Los Angeles City Beat, California.
http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=6238&IssueNum=225

Added 25 September 2007:

How Bush team fought California's emissions plan. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, with the knowledge of the White House, directed a behind-the-scenes effort to block California's request for its own, more stringent tailpipe emission standard. San Jose Mercury News, California.
http://www.mercurynews.com/greenenergy/ci_6991738

Added 24 September 2007:

Gov. Napolitano to aid international trade. Gov. Janet Napolitano outlined her efforts Tuesday to encourage exports and foreign investment in the state, saying she is reorganizing the Department of Commerce to focus on international trade and urging the federal government to expand port-of-entry facilities on the Mexican border. East Valley Tribune. Pheonix, AZ. http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/98189

Clean air strategy would further tighten restrictions. Air quality officials from Southern California and the state jointly announced a sweeping set of measures Friday aimed at improving Los Angeles' badly polluted air in time to meet a 2014 federal deadline. Targeted for possible ban, retrofit or replacement are aging heavy-duty truck fleets, wood-burning fireplaces in homes and char broilers in restaurants. LA Times . http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-airdeal22sep22,1,6174213.story?coll=la-headlines-california

People Before Ports. Last Wednesday, religious leaders protested a plan to divert housing recovery funds to expand the Port of Gulfport in Mississippi . Uprising , Los Angeles . http://uprisingradio.org/home/?p=1923

Truckers protest trial plan to permit Mexican trucks in U.S. Dozens of truckers waved signs and American flags at a border crossing Thursday to protest a pilot program that will allow up to 100 Mexican trucking companies to freely haul their cargo anywhere in the United States. The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego, CA. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20070906-0954-ca-mexicantrucks.html

Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program . The Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program (Program) is a partnership between the State Air Resources Board (ARB) and local agencies (like air districts, ports, and transportation agencies) to quickly reduce air pollution emissions and health risk from freight movement along California 's trade corridors.  Air Resources Broad , California. http://www.arb.ca.gov/bonds/gmbond/gmbond.htm

Food firms want FDA to oversee imports. The country's largest food suppliers, facing congressional food-safety proposals that could cost them millions of dollars a year, proposed to grant the government more oversight of the industry. Washington Post [Registration Required]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/18/AR2007091801861.html

Comparing Fuel Consumption, CO 2 and Other Emissions from International Shipping and Aircraft . Researchers compare shipping to aviation emissions and conclude that CO 2 emissions from shipping are of the same order as published CO 2 estimates for aviation. German Aerospace Center , Germany . http://www.pa.op.dlr.de/SeaKLIM/Fuel_Emissions_International_Shipping.html

Clean trucks won't hinder Port . Diversion of cargo to competing West Coast seaports would be minimal if authorities in San Pedro Bay implement their proposed clean-truck program, a new study shows. Press Telegram , Los Angeles . http://www.presstelegram.com/business/ci_6922630

Port of Seattle CEO steers toward green seas . Port of Seattle CEO says he wants to make Seattle the "cleanest and greenest" port in the nation and then use its eco-friendly image for competitive advantage. Robinson Newspaper , Seattle. http://www.westseattleherald.com/articles/2007/09/18/news/local_news/news03.txt

China's ripple effect. Companies of all sorts have been affected by recalls of everything from toothpaste to tires, toys and jewelry made in China . Some have found opportunities, and others have had to change their approach to dealing with vendors on the mainland. Newhouse News Service.
http://www.nj.com/business/times/index.ssf?/base/business-3/119052043348040.xml&coll=5

Smog vs. breath. As government and industry grapple over levels and standards, asthma sufferers put an urgent, gasping human face on the problem. Philadelphia Inquirer , Pennsylvania . [Registration Required]
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/20070924_Smog_vs__breath.html

Schools still rise close to freeways. Despite a state law that seeks to prevent schools from being built near freeways and mounting evidence that road pollutants harm children's lungs, LA is in the process of adding seven new schools to the more than 70 already located close to highways. Los Angeles Times , California . [Registration Required]
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-freeways24sep24,1,7418574.story

Chinese step up scrutiny of food. Chinese exports of foods including garlic, honey and fish fell sharply this summer as Beijing officials tightened health and safety regulations. Los Angeles Times , California . [Registration Required]
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-chinafood24sep24,0,2166170.story?coll=la-home-center

China takes aim at its smoggy skies. Now, for the first time, the smog stretching from the city of Guangzhou south to Hong Kong threatens the vigor of China 's fastest-growing economic region. And China is beginning to confront the problem while it still might be controlled. Chicago Tribune, Illinois .
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/chi-china_greisingsep24,0,2729905.story

Added 21 September 2007:

Ship emissions…CO2 warms and stays in atmosphere for 100 years, can SOx cool? Particles found in smoke plumes produced by cargo ships have been found to have a surprising cooling effect on the Earth's atmosphere. New Scientist , England. http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn12658-shipping-smoke-plumes-cool-the-atmosphere.html

Risk Assessment Minor in Development at JHU. In order for the scientists and engineers of the future will be better prepared to answer questions regarding nanotechnology, Johns Hopkins University faculty members specializing in disciplines ranging from engineering to public health are collaborating to develop a new undergraduate minor in nanotechnology risk assessment and public policy. Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Baltimore, MD. http://inbt.jhu.edu/risk-assessment-minor-in-development-at-jhu/2007/09/17

As FDA gets tough on China seafood, it fails to hold others to same standard.The FDA recently banned Chinese seafood due to contaminants but has failed to apply the same standard to seafood from other exporters that use the same chemicals and fish-farming techniques. Chicago Tribune , Illinois.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-seafood_bdsep16,1,6363129.story

Veto threat puts bill on port container fees on hold. A $60 charge on each loaded container, opposed by the retail industry, would fund projects to cut air pollution, traffic jams. Los Angele Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-legis6sep06,1,1406124.story?coll=la-headlines-california&ctrack=1&cset=true

Shipping Must Act on Air Emissions . Aviation has borne the brunt of environmentalists' ire for causing climate change but the global maritime industry could face similar pressure if it can't agree to curbs in greenhouse gases, industry experts warn. Planet Ark, London. http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=44328&newsdate=14-Sep-2007

Added 14 September 2007:

Diesel reduction bill dies. The anti-pollution measure looked like a lock until Democrats' biggest ally unions weighed in. Los Angeles Times , California . [Registration Required]
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-diesel14sep14,1,7497784.story?coll=la-news-politics-california

Canada preparing ports for NAFTA Superhighway . Canada is developing Pacific ports to compete with the U.S. ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles , as well as with the Mexican ports of Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas, in an attempt to draw a substantial market share of the millions of containers expected to flow into North America in the coming decades from China and the Far East . World Net Daily .http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57567

Added 13 September 2007:

Toxic Air: How the ports contribute to air pollution in the LA Basin.  Long Beach Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA.  2004.

Jogging in traffic cuts blood flow to heart. Men with stable heart disease who were exposed, even briefly, to diesel exhaust fumes showed reduced blood flow to their hearts, which can increase the risk of various cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks and arrhythmias. HealthDay News. 13 September 2007.

Experts find pollution heart risk. A joint study by Edinburgh University and Swedish experts measured the effects of diesel exhaust fumes on men who had suffered a heart attack. BBC, United Kingdom. 13 September 2007.

Roadside diesel pollution poses heart danger: study. Air pollution reduces blood flow and interferes with the body's natural ability to break up blood clots, researchers said on Wednesday in a finding that may help explain why pollution can cause heart attacks. Reuters. 13 September 2007.

Story minimizes port pollution. Thursday Letters to the Editor.  Daily Breeze. 13 September 2007.

Added 12 September 2007:

Pollution May Cancel Out China's Economic Growth. NPR. All Things Considered, August 9, 2007 · Much has been made of China's dazzling economic growth, but when the negative effects of China's pollution are factored in, the growth rate is less impressive.  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12638591

Cargo inspections not enough, official says. The more Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt saw from his helicopter seat on Tuesday, the more convinced he was that the U.S. couldn't ensure the safety of imports through inspections at trade gateways and border crossings alone.  LA Times. Los Angeles, CA.   http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-leavitt12sep12,1,5093438.story?coll=la-headlines-business

Added 11 September 2007:

Air pollution still rising at ports.  It's a case of economic growth outstripping environmental initiative at the Port of Long Beach, as a new survey shows air pollution volumes rising by double-digit levels in recent years, despite the best efforts of industry and regulators. Press-Telegram. Long Beach, CA. http://www.presstelegram.com/business/ci_6856897

Added 10 September 2007:

For Mexican trucks, a road into the US. Despite objections of some trucking and environmental groups, Mexican truckers are expected to begin transporting goods throughout the U.S. in coming days, after a DOT decision that provisionally lifted restrictions confining them to the border region. New York Times [Registration Required]
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/09truck.html

Investigative report: US ships unsafe products. Though recalls coordinated by the CPSC of Chinese-made goods have made headlines recently, for decades the federal agency has allowed American-based companies to export products deemed unsafe here. Sacramento Bee, California.
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/368866.html

Fixing Chinese goods will be costly. Get ready for a new Chinese export: higher prices. The spate of product recalls in recent months has exposed deep fault lines in Chinese manufacturing. Analysts expect prices in the U.S. to creep up as safety standards are reevaluated. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fi-madeinchina9sep09,1,3002409.story

Made in China, shunned in U.S. Nearly every consumer is trying to answer the question: How do I protect myself and my family from unsafe products from China? This year, Chinese products have made up 60 percent of all consumer goods recalled and all toy recalls. White Plains Journal News, New York. http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070909/BUSINESS01/709090440/1066

Added Sept. 7, 2007:

State air board pledges quick start on greenhouse gas rules. The head of California's air board promised to speed the state's efforts to fight global warming by tripling the number of anti-pollution rules the agency will adopt in the next few years. San Francisco Chronicle, California.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/09/07/MN86S0SI6.DTL

Greenhouse gas proposals unveiled. California's air pollution chief unveiled six new measures to trim the state's greenhouse gas emissions, including requirements to streamline big rigs, keep vehicle tires properly inflated and stop cargo ships from idling their engines in port. Sacramento Bee, California. http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/365153.html