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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It might seem counterintuitive, but harvesting holiday trees year after year is better for the environment than using an artificial one, experts said, especially amid the proliferation of plastic piling up in landfills. -
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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State environmental officials are calling on residents to nominate their favorite waterway to be 2025 River of the Year. The effort aims to elevate public awareness of specific rivers and recognize important conservation needs and achievements.
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Lehigh and Northampton counties are in a drought watch due to persistently dry weather. The Lehigh County Authority is asking residents to start conserving.
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A red flag warning is issued when the risk of fire danger is highest. The warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Friday.
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The U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday showed all of the Lehigh Valley in either “moderate” or “severe” drought.
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PennEnvironment's 2024 “Renewables on the Rise” report ranks every state for the production of wind energy, solar power, energy storage and other metrics over the last decade, tracking growth.
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Covering 187 acres in Salisbury and Upper Saucon townships, the sanctuary has seven different trails, and is the conservancy’s ninth nature preserve in the Lehigh Valley.
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The plan, estimated to cost more than $300 million over the next decade, seeks to overhaul and upgrade aging water and wastewater infrastructure across more than a dozen Lehigh County municipalities.
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The Bethlehem Area School District is getting $2 million in federal rebates to buy 10 more electric school buses. Officials expect the buses to be in service next school year.
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Wildlands Conservancy, as well as other partners and stakeholders, on Tuesday marked the completion of restoration work on the Bushkill Creek at Lafayette College with a celebration and wildflower-planting.
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The commonwealth’s fourth fall foliage report was released Thursday. Here's the forecast for the coming week in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
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Spray-Tek, 3010 Avenue B, was issued a malodor violation in mid-August. It is at least the second time Spray-Tek has been cited in the past two years. The DEP is reviewing the company's corrective action plan.
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Once filled, the city will be the second in the Lehigh Valley to carve out a position for a dedicated sustainability manager. The job requires overseeing environmental initiatives and guiding the city's climate action plan.
