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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During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, state parks across Pennsylvania were inundated with visitors.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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After almost a decade with the same trash hauler, the city’s contract is expiring. Now, city trash is collected twice a week.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The city is one of the first in the Lehigh Valley to carve out a position for a dedicated sustainability coordinator to oversee environmental initiatives and bolster community engagement.
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Registration is open for the Nurture Nature Center's Youth Climate Summit of the Lehigh Valley, a free event April 19 and 20. The summit aims to engage middle and high school students in climate change issues, as well as seek solutions.
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Allentown to move forward with electric vehicle pilot, environmental advisory council voices supportThe city was awarded funding through a state Department of Environmental Protection grant to buy seven electric vehicles. However, more funding is needed for charging infrastructure.
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Lehigh University now has six immersive learning experiences, or virtual reality games, aimed at engaging students, residents and visitors.
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Applications open next week for the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside of the Federal Highway Administration’s Surface Block Grant Program.
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A first-of-its-kind in the Lehigh Valley, the dome is expected to draw students and visitors both locally and from outside of Pennsylvania.
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The Annual Pennsylvania Wild Turkey Sighting Survey, which began Tuesday, aims to track population trends across the state for a bird that once almost went extinct in the U.S.
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There are 51 stops on this year’s trail. In its eighth year, the trail is focused on celebrating local creameries across the state while driving business during the summer months.
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The funding, through the Livable Landscape program, was unanimously approved at the county council’s June 18 meeting.
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The city is the third major city in the Lehigh Valley to become certified through Bird Town Pennsylvania, an annual designation focused on community-based conservation.
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Newhard Farms Corn Shed opened Tuesday for sweet corn sales. While it opened a few days later than in recent years, there's expected to be a good supply this season.
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The bill would limit the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, beginning in 2026.
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The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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The Clean Trucks PA Coalition report identified more than 600 schools, childcare centers, playgrounds and parks near major roadways and trucking corridors across the state.