
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.
-
A project of the Pennsylvania Municipal League and Sustainable Pittsburgh, Sustainable Pennsylvania is a voluntary program focused on helping municipalities improve sustainability to save money, conserve resources and improve residents’ lives.
-
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.
-
Lehigh University now has six immersive learning experiences, or virtual reality games, aimed at engaging students, residents and visitors.
-
Applications open next week for the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside of the Federal Highway Administration’s Surface Block Grant Program.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
The funding, through the Livable Landscape program, was unanimously approved at the county council’s June 18 meeting.
-
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.
-
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.
-
The “Stanley Jr. Kids Wheelbarrow and 7-piece Garden Set" has been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission after the paint on the hoe and rake were found to contain lead levels exceeding the federal content ban.
-
A Lehigh University graduate last year recorded a new species of mushroom at Wildlands Conservancy's South Mountain Preserve.
-
Monarch butterflies are starting to migrate through the Lehigh Valley. An annual tagging program, held at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, helps conservation efforts.
-
Called the Recovery in Nature initiative, two state departments have joined forces to create regional-specific partnerships to bolster substance use recovery efforts while strengthening all residents’ connection to nature.
-
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America released its report of the most challenging places to live with asthma. The release coincides with peak asthma season in September.
-
Awardees of the state Department of Education’s Environmental Repairs Grant program were announced Monday. It focuses on eliminating lead, mold, asbestos and other environmental hazards from school buildings.
-
The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center on Wednesday held a news conference at the city’s Sculpture Garden announcing the nonprofit’s new report, “Lead in School Drinking Water.” Bethlehem Area School District was found lacking.
-
State officials announced a $1 million pool for the 2025 Environmental Education Grants Program, as well as the Nov. 15 deadline to apply. Two Lehigh Valley projects were funded in the last round.
-
Staff and volunteers at the sanctuary have monitored the autumnal migration since 1934 as part of conservation research efforts. It’s the longest-running raptor migration count in the world.
-
Nine projects across Pennsylvania are included in the round of funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The projects focus on research, marketing, apprenticeships and sustainability for mushrooms, apples, potatoes and other crops.
-
Less than a month after a strong, bad smell permeated through the city and surrounding areas for several days, prompting a state Department of Environmental Protection investigation, the odor has returned.
-
Lehigh Valley Breathes is behind schedule from the course established in August 2023. Here's what officials have learned so far — and how they plan to proceed.