Environment & Science

In the home stretch of summer, is the worst of the heat behind us? Here’s where things stand in the Lehigh Valley as we look ahead — and enter the peak of hurricane season.

Four farms in Lehigh and Northampton counties were the latest to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

It's becoming more favorable as the summer goes on for viewing the planets in the evening sky, including Saturn. But did you know — its angle in relation to an Earth-bound observer is always changing.

Officials came together in Easton to discuss energy efficiency and weatherization programs intended to help residents while cutting emissions Thursday morning.

Tropical Storm Debby has been flooding parts of the Atlantic coast as remnants make their way north. As a result, PA-Task Force 1 has been deployed to assist North Carolina in emergency response operations.

North Whitehall Board of Supervisors on Monday hired engineering consultant Gilmore & Associates to create an Open Space Action Plan for the township.

Musikfest organizers have already eliminated paper food and beverage tickets, and started using renewable energy sources to power tents, vendors and beer trucks – but the work continues to make the event more environmentally-friendly.

This week, Watching the Skies gives an update on the International Space Station, which is currently hosting two ‘extra’ American astronauts.

Over the past few days, Lehigh Valley residents have complained of bad smells wafting through Bethlehem and surrounding areas. Residents have described the most recent heavy odor as a rotting smell.

One of the best chances to ‘catch a falling star’ is the Perseid meteor shower. And the evening of Aug. 12 and early morning of Aug. 13 should be the peak night for this annual event.

Regional and national news outlets Thursday left out an important detail about the return of the Canadian wildfire smoke — it was nowhere near the ground.

The pause is the latest obstacle for landfill officials, who want a 275-acre expansion, and a being counted as a success for many residents who have argued and rallied against it.

Held June 7 in Bethlehem, the Lehigh Valley Environmental Advisory Council Network’s “Funding Municipal Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs,” focused on federal and state funding opportunities available to organizations across the region.

There’s one major question as we approach the summer solstice in the Lehigh Valley – where’s the warmth?

Local experts say the Lehigh Valley is well prepared to knock down wildfires, but state data show those blazes are becoming much more common across Pennsylvania.

‘Tis the season for fresh fruits and veggies. This time of year farm stands pop up across the Lehigh Valley, but is there nutritional value to eating locally-grown produce? People from around the area weighed in about the benefits.

The beloved Rose Garden sits at 8th Avenue and West Union Boulevard, sporting hundreds of roses and complementing plants. It has received new life in the last few years.

The projects focus on advancing land conservation and restoration, outdoor recreation, community revitalization through green infrastructure and environmental education.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners in April voted to remove the mail-in application process for antlerless licenses, as well as move up the sale to the fourth Monday in June.

Spraying began 9 a.m. at Washington Crossing State Park. Black flies have been a recognized pest of humans and livestock in Pennsylvania since the 1970s.

The Lehigh Valley is likely to see something Monday it hasn’t witnessed in well over a month: substantial rain.

After the driest May on record, the Lehigh Valley is still dealing with bone dry conditions, exacerbating allergies and creating optimum conditions for brush fires.