Environment & Science

More than 1,336 acres across the commonwealth were preserved. Here are the Lehigh Valley farms now safe from development.

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.

Rainy weekends have put a damper on attendance at fall festivals in the Lehigh Valley.

A potent system is still on the way to the area, the National Weather Service warned Friday, referencing a storm forecasters have been talking about for almost a week.

The initiative consists of a partnership between Northside Alive and PPL — the latter donating 500 special lightbulbs to the community.

PennEnvironment released data showing Pennsylvania ranks near the bottom when it comes to the growth of wind energy, solar power, energy storage and other renewable energy metrics over the last decade.

A powerful storm system expected to bring heavy rain to the region this weekend might not be a total washout, forecasters say.

After Lafayette College cleared more than 40 trees for a $1.2 million walkway without city approval, no trees will be replanted on the hillside where they were removed, the city forester said. Instead, several dozen trees were planted across campus and in Easton.

An agreement between Bethlehem Landfill and the people suing them, reached Tuesday, limits the landfill’s work to expand while a series of lawsuits aimed at stopping the expansion go forward.

"This is something in winter a few months from now … this is a Miller B system [or nor’easter]. The difference is, temperatures are too warm for snow," EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich said.

It's the third time the Delaware River has won the title. Previous wins were in 2002 and 2017.

The Lehigh Valley will begin the weekend under a winter weather advisory in effect from noon Saturday until 1 a.m. Sunday.

Some salt sheds across the region could be down to their final grains, officials said Thursday, as reports of a rock salt shortage spread through the region and well beyond.

The state's dairy industry has officially reached "HPAI-free" status after rigorous testing in Pennsylvania dairy cattle for highly pathogenic avian influenza. Other states have detected bird flu in their cattle though, so the state will continue to monitor and test cattle.

Sarah DeGrendel was recently hired as the city’s first sustainability manager. The position focuses on creating and facilitating sustainability initiatives while capturing grant funding to cover the cost of related projects.

Because of the timing, the National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory from 4 p.m. until midnight for total snow and sleet accumulations of a coating to one inch and ice accumulations around a light glaze.

Months after a fire tore through Blue Mountain, the community continues to support the fire departments who helped battle the blaze. This time, that support comes in form of monetary donations.

Back-to-back storms will roll through the Lehigh Valley this week, but forecasters say if you're a snow purist, don't expect much in the way of significant accumulation.

This week on Watching the Skies, a look at efforts to preserve the artifacts that remain on the moon’s surface.

A pair of river otters at the Lehigh Valley Zoo offered their predictions for the winner of Super Bowl LIX during the zoo's annual Otter Bowl. Eagles fans may not like it, depending on their perspective.

The winter weather advisory will run 3 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, with mixed precipitation expected in the Lehigh Valley and across the region.

St. Luke's University Health Network on Friday launched an email helpline for residents with questions about avian flu. No human cases have so far been recorded in Pennsylvania.