
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.
-
Officials on Wednesday reviewed several preliminary transportation policy strategies for the Valley's priority climate action plan. The plan’s focus is to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions across the region.
-
More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.
-
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission at 11 a.m. on Wednesday is holding a meeting at its Allentown office to brainstorm and prioritize ways to decarbonize transportation across the region. Decarbonization is the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.
-
Amid the joy and festivities, environmental advocates are urging residents to keep sustainability in mind during what can be a time of year when trash and waste spikes.
-
State environmental officials on Thursday evening hosted the last of five public engagement sessions, as they work to create a Priority Climate Action Plan, or PCAP, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emission statewide and mitigate further effects of climate change.
-
A Tuesday evening webinar cosponsored by the Bethlehem Area Public Library and Bethlehem Food Co-Op focused on how residents can meaningfully participate in the city’s efforts to fight climate change.
-
The U.S. Department of Agriculture updated its plant hardiness map, showing a warmer Lehigh Valley. The region has moved into a warmer zone from the one where it was placed more than a decade ago. Experts say it has consequences for plant seasons and species.
-
Almost 11,000 birds of prey were counted this year during the Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s annual autumn hawk watch as they made their way along the raptor "superhighway" in the Valley’s backyard.
-
Lehigh Valley Breathes is a Valley-wide effort to monitor air quality amid emissions from trucking and warehousing. The project is expected to run for a year.
-
State lawmakers on Monday held a committee hearing titled “Minimizing Risk & Harm: Preparing for Pennsylvania’s Hydrogen Future.” It comes almost two months after President Joe Biden announced seven regional clean hydrogen hub projects, including two in Pennsylvania.
-
The Lehigh Valley Zoo’s barnyard birds, waterfowl and penguins are off exhibit. A recent suspected bird flu outbreak in wild geese is to blame.
-
The weeklong 109th PA Farm Show is well underway. More than a half-dozen Lehigh County 4-H’ers already have competed in various categories, from swine and sheep to breeding and market beef.
-
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is collecting public input about listing the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act. Officials estimate the eastern migratory population has declined by approximately 80%.
-
Unforeseen issues and obstacles have pushed the timeline for Lehigh Valley Breathes back. The regional air monitoring project aims to measure fine particle pollution.
-
The 109th PA Farm Show opens this weekend in the state capital, kicking off a week of competitions and demonstrations. Here's what you need to know about admission, parking and more.
-
Preliminary testing showed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Sick birds were also found at both locations.
-
January is National Radon Action Month. Public health officials are urging residents to stay informed of the risks, test and support legislative efforts to increase testing.
-
The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, in partnership with the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, is holding its 10th annual Christmas Bird Count for Kids on Saturday, Jan. 11.
-
Administered by Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, or POWR, with funding from the DCNR, officials said the effort aims to elevate public awareness of specific rivers and recognize important conservation needs and achievements.
-
The longest running raptor migration count in the world wrapped up for the 2024 season. Staff and volunteers spent more than 1,000 hours recording species as part of Hawk Mountain's conservation efforts.
-
The project, beginning today, includes rebuilding the stream bank. Officials said increased public interest and use, climate change and more frequent high-water events have significantly eroded it.
-
State environmental officials awarded $2.55 million in grants as part of a statewide effort to improve air quality in communities through cleaner fuel transportation infrastructure.