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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Last year was a big year for dam removals not only in the Lehigh Valley, but across Pennsylvania. The state was ranked first in the U.S. for the most outdated, unsafe and uneconomical dams removed in 2024. -
The Pennsylvania Invasive Replace-ive Program encourages property owners to remove invasive plants by offering native replacements, for free, during events in May throughout the state.
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An invasive insect known for its voracious appetite that can defoliate millions of acres of forest, spongy moths have been an annual blight on the Valley and the rest of Pennsylvania for decades.
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Center officials on Thursday opened the doors of its visitor and education center to highlight the building’s sustainable features. The Osprey House is an example of the opportunities nonprofit organizations can realize when it comes to energy efficiency, officials said.
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A rehabilitation project on the Route 873 Lehigh Gap Bridge, which connects Washington Township, Lehigh County, and Lehigh Township, Northampton County, begins Thursday.
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The inaugural meeting of the PA Road Salt Action Working Group was held Tuesday afternoon. The group aims to reduce salt pollution as well as promote responsible road salt application practices statewide.
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Eric Mintel recently led an paranormal investigation at Miller Symphony Hall. It comes right before the second Bucks ParaCon, set for March 8.
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There's been another attempt to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.
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Emmaus Borough Council awarded the contracts earlier this week. The project focuses on two of the borough’s wells, including one that’s been offline since PFAS contamination was discovered.
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Thousands of the Lehigh Valley's wild and domestic birds have been infected with avian flu. However, risk to songbirds remains low.
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Work is underway to restore a half-mile section of the Monocacy Creek that runs through the Archibald Johnston Conservation Area. Officials aim to improve the stream’s health by restoring the natural flow.
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Leaf-peeping season is right around the corner in the Valley, moving from north to south as temperatures drop into fall across the commonwealth. Here's why the region could see an earlier, shorter season.
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The box tree moth, a highly destructive, invasive insect, was discovered for the first time in Pennsylvania, in two cemeteries in Erie County. A quarantine has been issued.
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The “Stanley Jr. Kids Wheelbarrow and 7-piece Garden Set" has been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission after the paint on the hoe and rake were found to contain lead levels exceeding the federal content ban.
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A Lehigh University graduate last year recorded a new species of mushroom at Wildlands Conservancy's South Mountain Preserve.
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Monarch butterflies are starting to migrate through the Lehigh Valley. An annual tagging program, held at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, helps conservation efforts.
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Called the Recovery in Nature initiative, two state departments have joined forces to create regional-specific partnerships to bolster substance use recovery efforts while strengthening all residents’ connection to nature.
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The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America released its report of the most challenging places to live with asthma. The release coincides with peak asthma season in September.
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Awardees of the state Department of Education’s Environmental Repairs Grant program were announced Monday. It focuses on eliminating lead, mold, asbestos and other environmental hazards from school buildings.
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The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center on Wednesday held a news conference at the city’s Sculpture Garden announcing the nonprofit’s new report, “Lead in School Drinking Water.” Bethlehem Area School District was found lacking.
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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.
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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.
