Associated Press: When it comes to pollution, the economic downturn could have an upside. The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday reported that toxic chemical pollution from the nation’s industrial plants, mines and factories declined by 6 percent in 2008, the second year in a row that companies have reported releasing less pollution. Companies put 3.86 billion pounds of toxic chemicals into the air and water and onto land in 2008, down from 4.1 billion pounds in 2007 and 4.26 billion …