Environment & Science

Brad Klein reviews the week's astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s "Backyard Astronomy Guy."

Pennsylvania is the biggest commercial producer of mushrooms in the United States. Foraging groups are popping up to find the fungus in the wild, while small farms are focusing on growing unique mushrooms.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with reporters Molly Bilinski and Stephanie Sigafoos.

The Lehigh Valley was among six climate sites in the region that either tied or established record-high temperatures Thursday, but we'll flip the script in a big way next week.

The commonwealth’s fifth fall foliage report was released Thursday. Here's the forecast for the coming week in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection held two hearings regarding permit applications for two of the proposed warehouses in Lowhill Township.

Environment and Science Reporter Molly Bilinski, alongside Grace Oddo, social media specialist, trekked across the Lehigh Valley to map out the best leaf-peeping spots. Fall foliage is expected to peak across the region later this week.

South Whitehall Township hosted a wrap-up meeting for "South Whitehall Landscapes," a plan guiding preservation efforts in the township.

Members of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Comprehensive Planning Committee voted Tuesday to advance a letter opposing the planned expansion of Bethlehem Landfill.

Tucked into the latest state budget agreement is tens of millions of dollars in new sales tax breaks for companies that build and run server farms known as data centers.

About 37% of ticks in Pennsylvania are the kind that carry Lyme disease, according to the Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania at East Stroudsburg University.

Black fly spraying starts June 30 along the Lehigh and Delaware rivers.

Some lawmakers and environmental groups are calling on the Wolf administration to strengthen a proposed regulation that aims to curb emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane before the rule comes up for a final vote. But the proposal exempts tens of thousands of low-producing wells.

Gov. Tom Wolf wants Pennsylvania to join a nationwide program that aims to curb pollution generated by power plants.

State parks saw an increase of more than 7 million visitors last year and the trend is expected to continue.

Around the world, April 21 is the 51st celebration of Earth Day. But here in Pennsylvania, we have a little something extra to celebrate.

Air quality in the Lehigh Valley is getting mixed reviews in the 22nd annual American Lung Association's State of the Air report released April 21.

Bethlehem has announced a new plan to fight climate change. To kick off the effort, the city is creating its first-ever office of sustainability and city residents are being asked to join to help reduce Bethlehem’s carbon footprint.

The spotted lanternfly continues to kill crops across Pennsylvania. The invasive pest was first discovered in Berks County in 2014, and the state recently expanded its mitigation efforts extending the list of quarantined counties.

The Wolf Administration says it is making the largest government commitment to solar energy in the country by agreeing to buy power from seven new solar projects in the state.

Microplastic contaminants have been found in 53 waterways in Pennsylvania, including in the Lehigh River, according to clean water advocacy group PennEnvironment.