
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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Allentown and Easton have been paired with an engineering company to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. It's Allentown's first time, but Easton's second, in the program.
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State education officials on on Monday visited Bethlehem Area Public Library’s South Side branch, 400 Webster St., to raise awareness about the Summer Food Service Program. Free, nutritious meals are available to those aged 18 and younger — no questions asked.
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Environmentalists say the Lehigh River is the cleanest its been in 175 years. A river snorkeling program at Lehigh Gap Nature Centers encourages residents to explore their local waterways and track river health.
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For two decades, borough officials have celebrated Independence Day by handing out hundreds of kazoos and American flags to residents before parading through the streets, blaring patriotic songs the entire time. It almost didn't happen this year.
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With more than two dozen species of fireflies that call Pennsylvania home, it’s no wonder one was adopted as the state’s insect. But, these flashy insects are threatened due habitat loss and light pollution.
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The Delaware River Sojourn, an eight-day guided paddling and camping trip, is underway. About 100 paddlers are participating.
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Over the last three decades, more than 400 farms have been preserved in Lehigh County. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.
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Grant applications for the Municipal Opportunities for Retrofits and Energy Efficiency, or MORE, Program are open. Loans are also available through a Lehigh Valley lender.
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Three farms in Lehigh and Northampton counties were the latest to be included in the state’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.
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For the first time in more than three decades, and at a cost of nearly $500,000, the Boardwalk at the Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary.has been completely restored and made compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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The annual scholastic competition combines classroom learning and outdoor activities to engage students in environmental science. The state competition is scheduled for May 22 in Mifflinburg.
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Carbon County officials on Thursday will sign on to a partnership with Northampton, officials announced. Their goal is to bolster farmland preservation efforts.
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Arcadia plans to tear down the SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western at 300 Gateway Drive off Route 512 and replace it with a 250,000-square-foot warehouse. If the permit is approved, developers will be allowed to discharge stormwater from construction activities into the Monocacy Creek.
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Two Lehigh Valley municipalities this year participated in Penn State’s Local Climate Action Program. Here's how the program works to create a greenhouse gas inventory and, from those findings, a climate action plan.
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Pennsylvania's third most populous region received a "C" grade from the American Lung Association and ranked fourth-worst in the mid-Atlantic for ozone pollution. But, it's better than last year’s rankings in the annual "State of the Air" report.
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Lehigh Valley went to the polls Tuesday for the Pennsylvania primary election, but voters were hard to find throughout the day. Poll workers and observers reported a trickle of a turnout at districts in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
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Fahy Commons was named the first project in the world to achieve a rigorous sustainability certification for buildings that reward projects for more energy than they use. The 20,000-square-foot, three-floor building cost $13.2 million and opened to students last January.
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“Public Participation, Public Power: A Community Guide to Local Land Use Decision-Making in Pennsylvania" was released Monday. The almost-100-page guide includes explanations of state and local land use laws and more.
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A new outdoor air quality monitoring project is coming to Allentown this summer. The data collected through the initiative, officials said, will help inform decision-making to improve residents’ health in the city, known for its poor air quality.
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This year’s Lehigh Valley Sustainability Summit was held Friday morning at The Club at Twin Lakes. Officials discussed upcoming projects, as well as efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
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The spring migration count at Hawk Mountain has begun. It runs through May 15.
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EPA officials last week announced the first-ever national drinking water standard regulating per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are widespread, long-lasting in the environment and have been linked to long-term health issues.