Environment & Science

The council on Tuesday heard from officials and experts about Pittsburgh's dark sky efforts, aimed at tamping down on light pollution and saving money.

Penn State Extension this summer published "The Bees of Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Genera,” outlining the commonwealth’s more than 440 species of bees, organized by genus.

Senate Bill 980, introduced Wednesday, would phase out the manufacture, sale and use of firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, beginning in 2026.

This week the question is: Are eclipses of the sun and moon common, or rare? The answer is … both!

For more than three decades, Hunters Sharing the Harvest has facilitated a venison donation program throughout Pennsylvania, creating a network of deer processors and hunger relief agencies. Find out how much was donated and where last season.

The 2025 autumn migration count has begun at Hawk Mountain. It's the longest running raptor migration count in the world.

The rain-or-shine event, open only to Northampton County residents, will take place Saturday, Oct. 4 at Northampton Community College, 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem.

The Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley was one of the half-dozen winners of this year’s Environmental Partnership Awards.

After a three-year hiatus, chick hatching is back at the Allentown Fair. The exhibition will be open daily at the Lehigh County 4-Club Livestock Experience tent.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Environment Committee on Tuesday discussed a plan for a septic replacement system at the warehouse, planned for 2951 Betz Court.

Four surplus male bison from the Lehigh Valley Zoo will be donated to the Wildlife Restoration Foundation for transfer to a member of the InterTribal Buffalo Council in New York. The recent loss of the dominant male bison at the zoo necessitated the transfer.

Space weather forecasters have issued an alert for incoming severe solar storms. Such storms could bring northern lights to many U.S. states and temporarily disrupt communications.

The draft plan is the product of a series of well-attended public-input meetings over the past year.

For the second year, the nonprofit water and wastewater utility has launched a public outreach campaign about lead pipes. Under a new EPA rule, utilities have until 2037 to remove all lead service lines from its system.

The Allentown EAC on Monday approved two letters to City Council with recommendations for the citywide parks plan, as well as the city's first Climate Action Plan, respectively.

Three African Servals escaped from Cricket Wildlife Center after a powerful storm last Wednesday damaged their enclosure. After dozens of reported sightings, two of the wild cats are back, leaving one left to capture.

For November, WLVR's Brad Klein and Bethlehem's "Backyard Astronomy Guy" Marty McGuire are taking a look at comets, with three getting a lot of attention as they pass through our inner solar system. This week, the subject is astrophotography.

The speaker series, which runs on select Thursdays through March, focuses on engaging residents about the local environment, as well as conservation efforts.

Craig Pfeiffer, Bethlehem's assistant director of planning and zoning, gave a presentation Thursday on the city's new subdivision and land development ordinance, more commonly known as a SALDO.

The baby alpaca was born Oct. 23. The zoo is taking suggestions for a name.

A Wednesday night storm brought damaging winds to the area, with gusts reaching up to 47 mph. The National Weather Service warned of damage to trees and utilities, and a wildlife center in Berks County suffered just that: A tree fell on an enclosure housing three African servals that have since escaped.

Current conditions, along with the continued drying of fine fuels, "could support the rapid spread of any fires that ignite, which could quickly become difficult to control," the National Weather Service said.