
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.
-
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.
-
Wildlands Conservancy bought the Carbon County land, which included a Lehigh River tributary, transferring ownership to the state Game Commission. Advocates aim to ward off development and protect the health of the river.
-
A sunrise observance was held Saturday at the private, nonprofit park to mark the transition from summer to fall. The park features dozens of stone settings strategically placed throughout more than 20 acres.
-
The free festival runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the center. The schedule includes nature walks, live animal presentations, monarch butterfly tagging, music and more.
-
Lehigh Valley Breathes, a Valley-wide effort, aims to measure air quality. From the collected data, officials said they will make recommendations for improvements.
-
It took less than two weeks to fix operational issues at Kline’s Island Wastewater Treatment Plant on Union Street. Officials described the sewer odor as an ‘"earthy" or "rotten egg" smell but said it is not harmful to human health.
-
‘Please hire a dedicated sustainability manager’: Letter campaign aims to pressure Allentown CouncilThe letter-writing campaign began Sept. 9. It is unclear how many emails city councilmembers have so far received.
-
Released Tuesday, results from Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion’s National Surveys on Energy and the Environment show Americans want to prevent future global warming, and also believe adaptation to climate change will require major lifestyle changes.
-
The fellowship focuses on bolstering students who show interest and promise in leadership and social impact. Of the more than 44,000 applications submitted, only 4,000 were accepted.
-
This year's Bake Oven Knob Autumn Hawk Watch has so far recorded more than 1,000 migrating birds of prey, not including the dozens logged Thursday morning.
-
One area of potential concern at the Allentown State Hospital had been the presence of dioxins in the soil. Dioxins are a group of toxic chemical compounds that take a long time to break down in the environment, and can cause health problems in people.
-
It’s a special year for cicadas, insects known for their high-pitched mating songs. Two adjacent broods are expected to co-emerge for the first time in 221 years. Here's the next time they emerge in the Valley.
-
Stanley cups have skyrocketed in popularity, following other trends in reusable drinkware. But, fads like these can encourage overconsumption, experts said.
-
This weekend is the 27th annual Lehigh Gap Area Feeder Watch. Officials are calling for volunteers.
-
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, state parks across Pennsylvania were inundated with visitors.
-
State officials late last month announced the theme for this year’s annual tick-themed art contest, “Protect. Check. Remove.” Last year, there were no winners in the Lehigh Valley.
-
More than $2 million was allocated to nine organizations across Pennsylvania to fund various research efforts, all linked to the state’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry.
-
Twenty-seven air quality monitors have so far been placed for Lehigh Valley Breathes, a Valley-wide, year-long effort to monitor air quality amid emissions from trucking and warehousing.
-
After almost a decade with the same trash hauler, the city’s contract is expiring. Now, city trash is collected twice a week.
-
Applications open Monday for the 2024 Lehigh Valley Greenways Mini Grant Program and are accepted until 4 p.m. March 8. The grants are earmarked for conservation efforts in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
-
A 605-pound black bear harvested in the Lehigh Valley has ranked one of the largest in the state to be bagged during its most recent season, and was the sixth-heaviest bear in Pennsylvania for 2023.
-
The team behind Lehigh University's "Community Mapping for Environmental Justice” project is creating an interactive map of litter in Bethlehem. Officials said the collaborative effort aims to improve the health and well-being of the entire community.