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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Applications are open for the second Good Farmer Award U.S. Officials are looking for farmers with less than 10 years of experience who exemplify sustainable farming practices while contributing to community and environmental health.
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The anonymous donation will be used to support the teachers and students across the district, officials from the Foundation for the Bethlehem Area School District said.
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A crop farm in Lehigh County was included in the latest round of Pennsylvania's Farmland Preservation Program. Twenty-three other farms across the state were also preserved.
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In its 10th year, and led by the Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley, the conference theme was “Back to Basics,” and drew a sold-out crowd with about 180 people, including professionals and volunteers.
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The Allentown Environmental Advisory Council on Monday unanimously approved a letter and draft resolution, urging city officials to use non-chemical methods to dispatch invasive plants.
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The Walking Purchase, a 1737 land grab perpetrated by William Penn's sons, shaped the Lehigh Valley as residents know it today. But, the land wasn’t actually purchased, as the name might suggest — it was swindled from the Lenni-Lenape.
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More than 130 people attended the panel, which focused on efforts across the state to tamp down on light pollution, not only to benefit star-gazers, but for fireflies and migrating birds, too.
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Twenty-seven city restaurants and eateries have so far responded to a single-use plastics survey.
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Veronika Vostinak, Allentown's sustainability coordinator, on Wednesday gave a hourlong presentation to the Lehigh Valley Environmental Advisory Council Network on her experience with plastic reduction efforts, targeting single-use foodwares and reusables for dine-in.
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While a full report is expected next year, researchers behind Lehigh Valley Breathes have released a data analysis, which includes three comparisons looking at fine particulate pollution across eight monitoring locations.
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North America’s smallest falcon is threatened due to habitat loss, as well as other factors. A conservation project at Waste Management's Grant Central Landfill near Pen Argyl seeks to boost conservation.
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Weeks after a dam was removed from the Bushkill Creek in Easton as part of a years-long effort to improve stream health, officials continue to restore its banks. A stabilization project will close the bridge for several hours on weekdays over the next couple weeks.
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The city was awarded the grant through the WalkWorks program. Officials now have $35,000 and a year to create an Active Transportation Plan aimed at bolstering connectivity across the city.
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Development has divided wildlife habitats across Pennsylvania, leading to more vehicle-animal collisions. A new report from the state Legislature argues reconnecting the pieces through wildlife corridors would help.
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The National Scenic Visitors Center’s “Earthwalk Explorer” exhibit is at the Banana Factory Arts and Education Center, 25 W. Third St., Bethlehem. The traveling, tactile exhibit is centered around a 3D map of the northeastern United States and is in town all next week.
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Keystone Cement Co. in East Allen Township is renewing its hazardous waste permit with the state Department of Environmental Protection. Part of the company's plan is to change how it transports waste, from trucks to rail.
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Mosquitos carrying West Nile virus were recorded within city limits. Here's where officials are spraying Wednesday.
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Applications for a seat on the council, launched in 2022 and aimed at growing public participation, are being accepted through the end of the month. Here's how to apply.
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Gov. John Shapiro last month signed HB 1333 into law, which allows for recycled materials to be used in stuffed toys manufactured and sold statewide. In the Lehigh Valley, one toy manufacturer plans to launch a sustainable line.
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For almost a century, hikers have trekked the Appalachian Trail, the world’s longest hiking-only footpath. A thru-hiker documenting her trek on social media recently stopped in the Lehigh Valley.
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The position, budgeted for one year after the annual process turned contentious, focuses on creating and facilitating sustainability initiatives while capturing grant funding to cover the cost of related projects.
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The start of Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s annual hawk watch is just over a month out, and preparations are well underway. A tradition in its 64th year, volunteers count birds of prey as they migrate along the raptor "superhighway" in the Lehigh Valley’s backyard.