Environment & Science

DOE has selected PPL's application for consideration in the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program.

NOAA's Operational Branch Chief Jon Gottschalck referenced “Snowmaggedon” — the storm that walloped the region in February 2010. He said in this winter outlook, "There’s some hope for snow lovers."

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission on Wednesday hosted “WorkshopLV: Environment + Transportation." The almost two hour long meeting focused on brainstorming and prioritizing ways to decarbonize transportation across the region.

Several sightings of black bears have been reported recently in residential areas of Bethlehem Township. Despite the animal not typically being aggressive toward humans, the Pennsylvania Game Commission advises not to approach or entice a black bear.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is hosting a series of in-person and virtual meetings to collect feedback on its new environmental justice policy. The next meeting is Oct. 25.

If the Lehigh Valley weather forecast feels familiar, it’s because an end-of-the-week system is once again being watched closely by meteorologists.

A biologist from the Pennsylvania Game Commission visited the location of the sighting in Lower Macungie Township and determined the animal spotted was not a mountain lion.

A rare piebald deer, which has a distinctive white coat with patchy brown spots due to a pigmentation anomaly, has been seen in the Easton Cemetery. Such deer make up about 1% of the total whitetail deer population.

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

State police say someone has photos and they are investigating the sighting of a large feline — possibly a mountain lion — in a field in Lower Macungie Township on Sunday.

Presidents Day weekend is approaching, and historically the period has been prime time for big storms. That won't be the case Friday, but a few inches of snow are possible in the Lehigh Valley.

A Lehigh Valley resident was recognized as a “Volunteer of the Year” for 2023 by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, a statewide nonprofit that focuses on litter cleanups and community improvements.

Less than 24 hours removed from the Lehigh Valley’s heaviest snowfall in three years, forecasters have a word of advice to offer: don’t put the shovel away just yet.

Tuesday's fast-moving storm swept quickly through the Lehigh Valley but packed a wallop, bringing nearly a foot of snow to several spots.

“This has been a tremendously difficult storm to forecast due to rapidly changing conditions/temperatures expected and the difference in timing,” the National Weather Service said in its forecast discussion.

PPL Electric Utilities and Met-Ed reported more than 13,000 customers without power Tuesday morning as a winter storm swept through the region.

Several Lehigh Valley schools are closing Tuesday because of the weather forecast.

Early Monday, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning in effect for the Lehigh Valley for 7 to 10 inches of snow, with locally higher amounts over the higher elevations.

One area of potential concern at the Allentown State Hospital had been the presence of dioxins in the soil. Dioxins are a group of toxic chemical compounds that take a long time to break down in the environment, and can cause health problems in people.

Betelgeuse is the red supergiant star at Orion’s ‘right shoulder.’

Lehigh and Northampton counties are under a winter storm watch in effect from 12 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, with 4 to 8 inches of heavy, wet snow possible.

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.