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.
-
A Northampton County farm was one of the latest group to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces. -
Easton is hiring a sustainability coordinator. It marks the third of the Valley's major cities to carve out a position dedicated to sustainability initiatives and fighting the worsening impacts of climate change.
-
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.
-
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.
-
The Valley’s two major health networks are preparing for an increase in bird flu in people. Cases have been generally mild, with none reported so far in Pennsylvania.
-
Just shy of 90 awardees from 45 counties were selected for the commonwealth’s Agricultural Innovation Grant Program. Find out what got funded in the Lehigh Valley.
-
Applications are open for the 2025 Lehigh Valley Greenways Mini Grant Program. Grants are earmarked for conservation efforts in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
-
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission officials last month held the first regional climate planning workshop of the year, WorkshopLV: Environment.
-
Residents can comment on a draft of the 2025-2029 Pennsylvania Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, or SCORP, through March 3. There's a public input form, as well as scheduled webinars.
-
A contentious land-use battle is underway, and it's headed to the Pennsylvania's Environmental Hearing Board. Both sides are confident they'll win.
-
The spring migration count at Hawk Mountain has begun. So far this season, 137 birds of prey have been recorded.
-
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday released the results of the agency's "7th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment." Pennsylvania ranked only behind Florida, Illinois and Ohio for the most lead service lines.
-
The Monocacy Creek Watershed Association and Bethlehem's Environmental Advisory Council are hosting a spring clean-up April 8 at Monocacy Creek. Last year, volunteers collected more than 2,000 lbs. of garbage.
-
A line of storms that spared the Lehigh Valley on Saturday raked the Philadelphia region and surrounding areas, with eight tornadoes confirmed by the National Weather Service.
-
Two of the Lehigh Valley's major cities are considering bans on single-use plastic bags. Here's where the proposals stand.
-
Panera Bread recently announced a new technology partnership with Amazon, which will allow loyalty members to use their palms to pay and ordering through select Alexa devices. It's unclear when they changes will comes to the Lehigh Valley.
-
Lehigh Valley residents might see low-flying planes over Blue Mountain through April 7 as efforts continue to remediate the Palmerton zinc pile superfund site.
-
Rodale Institute's board of directors announced Jeff Tkach, 43, of Lower Macungie Township, will serve as the nonprofit's new CEO. He'll take the helm of the Kutztown-based organic farming research and education organization starting April 21.
-
The Lehigh Valley Zoo has three new African penguins, bringing its total colony to 14. As part of a species survival plan, zoo officials hope the birds will pair off a reproduce to bolster the endangered species.
-
With the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and federal Environmental Protection Agency at odds over the acceptable levels of 'forever chemicals' in public drinking water, it’s become an expensive and frustrating process for at least one Lehigh Valley municipality.
