Molly Bilinski
Environment & Science reporterI cover environment and science for LehighValleyNews.com. Originally from Schuylkill County, I got my start in journalism writing obituaries for the Reading Eagle in 2014 after graduating from Kutztown University. I’ve also reported for The Press of Atlantic City, covering municipalities, crime and courts, and The Morning Call, where I was part of the audience team. In 2022, I won first place in the diversity category of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association’s Keystone Media Awards. Contact me at mollyb@lehighvalleynews.com or 610-984-8225.
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State officials announced a $1 million pool for the 2025 Environmental Education Grants Program, as well as the Nov. 15 deadline to apply. Two Lehigh Valley projects were funded in the last round. -
Staff and volunteers at the sanctuary have monitored the autumnal migration since 1934 as part of conservation research efforts. It’s the longest-running raptor migration count in the world.
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Nine projects across Pennsylvania are included in the round of funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The projects focus on research, marketing, apprenticeships and sustainability for mushrooms, apples, potatoes and other crops.
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Less than a month after a strong, bad smell permeated through the city and surrounding areas for several days, prompting a state Department of Environmental Protection investigation, the odor has returned.
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Lehigh Valley Breathes is behind schedule from the course established in August 2023. Here's what officials have learned so far — and how they plan to proceed.
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The Lehigh Valley has been reshaped by a massive wave of development, both in industrial and residential, that has swept over the region the last three decades. While the development boom may be slowing, the impacts to the region’s economy and the environment are clear. (First of 5 parts)
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The free exhibit, “America’s Beautiful,” at Lehigh Gap Nature Center runs from Aug. 21 to Aug. 29. It includes 50 watercolor paintings of Smokey Bear.
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More than eight months after announcing a $600 million price tag over the next decade to upgrade aging water and wastewater treatment infrastructure, the Lehigh County Authority is reaching out to major industrial users.
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Wednesday marked the end of the first round of a three-year initiative called TOWERS, or Tackling Obstacles for Women’s Engagement and Retention in STEM, at Cedar Crest. Through the program, incoming freshmen are paired with mentors to complete science projects, gaining confidence and community along the way.
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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.
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Almost 100 migrating birds of prey have been recorded since April 1, when this year’s count started. Officials at the sanctuary, as well as volunteers, have monitored the spring raptor migration since the 1960s.
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Two Northampton County farms were the latest to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.
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Crayola officials, along with PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center and local legislators, held an informational session Thursday on the company’s 3.53 megawatt solar farm.
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The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor this month launched the Quest for the Golden Grabber. In its second year, it's an effort to engage community members in a friendly competition while cleaning litter from the trail.
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There were 15 Diamond Clover awardees this year, including two from Lehigh County. The award is the highest in Pennsylvania's 4-H program.
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The African penguin colony, off exhibit since early January because of bird flu, is back at the Lehigh Valley Zoo.
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The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection last week launched the Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction grant program. Aimed at schools and childcare facilities, the program is focused on testing for, and remediating, lead in drinking water.
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For the sixth year, Nurture Nature Center will hold the Youth Climate Summit of the Lehigh Valley. The free event aims to engage middle and high school students in climate change issues, as well as seek solutions.
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President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency canceled Pennsylvania’s $13 million contract with the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. A pandemic-era program, farmers were paid to supply local food banks with fresh produce.
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Team Pennsylvania on National Agriculture Day released “The Pennsylvania Agriculture Economic Analysis 2025.” The report takes a deep data dive into the commonwealth’s agriculture sector from 2012-2022.
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Pasa Sustainable Agriculture on Wednesday held virtual town hall focused on the current freeze on U.S. Department of Agriculture grants earmarked for farmers implementing climate-smart production practices.
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The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Environment Committee on Tuesday reviewed plans to update sewage infrastructure in two municipalities.
