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.
-
Hoping or wishing that an item is recyclable, without actually confirming it, can do more harm than good, and it’s an increasing issue for Lehigh Valley haulers, as well as the recovery facilities where those items are sorted.
-
Thousands of raptors — from vultures, eagles and kites to hawks, kestrels and falcons — are expected to make their annual trek through the region over the next three months, and researchers at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center are in need of volunteers.
-
Musikfest attracts tens of thousands of people to the city each day during its 10-day run. Officials said they’re continuously working to lessen the event’s impact on the environment.
-
From lack of parking and gridlock traffic to the increased prices for headliner tickets, as well as upticks in costs for food and beverages, there are plenty of reasons why some of the Lehigh Valley’s residents don’t like — with a contingent even going so far as to actively avoid — Musikfest.
-
Starting at 9 a.m., officials from Princeton Hydro, a New Jersey-based engineering consultant, will treat the lake’s shoreline via airboat to tamp down invasive Phragmites, a genus of four species of large perennial reed grasses.
-
Called “Lehigh Valley Breathes,” the more than $100,000 project includes installing 40 PurpleAir monitors throughout the region. Officials plan to collect data for a year.
-
The center's annual Bake Oven Knob Autumn Hawk Watch begins in just over two weeks. Officials are hosting an informational Zoom session at 7 p.m. Aug. 9 to share the history of the count and volunteer opportunities, as well as how to count migrating raptors and some tips for identification.
-
While the Canadian wildfire smoke is only the latest threat, experts and professionals said there are ways to monitor and improve the indoor air residents are breathing.
-
In the Lehigh Valley, one vape is thrown away every 105 seconds. When they end up as litter or in landfills, hazardous materials can leach into soil and contaminate groundwater.
-
Extending from Allentown to north of Coplay, the gap, made up of two main sections delineated by the Lehigh River, is expected to be closed in a little over a decade, officials said.
-
City officials gathered Thursday in the City Hall’s rotunda for an annual update on the city’s Climate Action Plan, a document that outlines strategies to decrease carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.
-
El Consejo Asesor Ambiental de Allentown trabaja en una encuesta sobre contenedorización para reducir la basura dispersa en toda la ciudad.
-
The new role with the public utility and wastewater authority is aimed at strengthening transparency, community engagement and collaboration with regional partners.
-
The Allentown Environmental Advisory Council is working on a survey for residents about containerization, an effort to decrease litter across the city.
-
A 4-H'er from Walnutport and his horse, Skipa Star Goer, placed first in the pleasure horse driving class during the show, held late last month in Harrisburg.
-
Por segundo año, la empresa pública de agua impulsa una campaña sobre tuberías de plomo; una norma de la EPA exige retirarlas todas antes de 2037.
-
For the second year, the nonprofit water and wastewater utility has launched a public outreach campaign about lead pipes. Under a new EPA rule, utilities have until 2037 to remove all lead service lines from its system.
-
The Allentown EAC on Monday approved two letters to City Council with recommendations for the citywide parks plan, as well as the city's first Climate Action Plan, respectively.
-
The speaker series, which runs on select Thursdays through March, focuses on engaging residents about the local environment, as well as conservation efforts.
-
As the federal government shutdown drags on into its second month, hundreds of flights Friday are being canceled at 40 airports across the country. Regional airports, such as LVIA, could be affected, too.
-
Craig Pfeiffer, Bethlehem's assistant director of planning and zoning, gave a presentation Thursday on the city's new subdivision and land development ordinance, more commonly known as a SALDO.
-
Mackenzie, along with officials from Wildlands Conservancy, the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, on Wednesday morning hiked a portion of the property, lauding the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund that helped preserve it.