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The article reports on the development of the National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) in Australia. During its meeting in June 2007, it accepted the Report on the Review of the National Environment Protection (Diesel Vehicle Emissions) Measure (NEPM) and its recommendations. It requested that a proposal for the scope, timeline and budget for varying the NEPM be prepared for its meeting in late 2007. If the council adopts the proposal, a formal process for varying a NEPM will begin seeking public comment on the draft variation. It notes that states and territory government will decide on how to manage emissions from diesel vehicles. The NEPM guidelines cover smoky vehicle programs, emission test and repair programs and audited maintenance.

The article reports on the information provided by the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) cooperative programme about substance emissions from industrial facilities and other diffuse sources in Australia. During the meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council in June 2007, it was agreed to vary the NPI National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM) that will put into place a number of changes like the reporting of transfers of NPI substances in waste to final destination and new substances.

The article offers information on the April 2007 training activities program update on environmental protection in New Zealand and Australia. The training courses being conducted in conjunction with the IUAPPA Congress include air pollution control, ambient air quality monitoring, indoor air, and hazardous air pollutants. A course on air pollution meteorology and ausplume is scheduled in Christchurch, New Zealand on May 17-18, 2007. A training course on industrial odor control is slated on February 27-28, 2007 in Fremantle, Western Australia.

The article focuses on the efforts of nine U.S. states to cut emissions of power plants. Several public officials have reached into a preliminary agreement to freeze power plant emissions at their current levels and reduce them by 10% by 2020. The cooperative action came after the decision of the government not to regulate the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Significantly, the regional initiative would set up a market-driven system that would control emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, from various electric generators in the nine states. On the other hand, various city mayors have signed to meet the emissions reductions standards.