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.
-
Like last year, the Valley’s cool temperatures, coupled with a lack of precipitation, could cause an earlier and shorter fall foliage season. But, it's still expected to be vibrant.
-
Officials behind the Lehigh Valley Breathes project have announced an Aug. 31 data cut-off date, ending the data collection phase. The project was launched in August 2023.
-
“Sacred Planet with Gulnaz Khan,” is a four-part documentary series focused on how indigenous leaders and traditional religious communities across the world are grappling with the impacts of climate change.
-
The city EAC on Monday, with support from city officials, planned to launch a trash survey focused on containers. They also discussed the possibility of a pilot program.
-
In a program of PennDOT and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, participants get training about litter prevention, waste management, civic engagement and more.
-
Members discussed ways the council could help advance priorities in the city’s Climate Action Plan. With dozens of goals and tasks to tackle, members voted to prioritize those that aligned with existing committees or garnered volunteer interest.
-
PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center on Tuesday released its new report, “Solar Schools for Pennsylvania: Repowering Education with Clean Energy."
-
The council on Tuesday heard from officials and experts about Pittsburgh's dark sky efforts, aimed at tamping down on light pollution and saving money.
-
Penn State Extension this summer published "The Bees of Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Genera,” outlining the commonwealth’s more than 440 species of bees, organized by genus.
-
For more than three decades, Hunters Sharing the Harvest has facilitated a venison donation program throughout Pennsylvania, creating a network of deer processors and hunger relief agencies. Find out how much was donated and where last season.
-
Work is underway to restore a half-mile section of the Monocacy Creek that runs through the Archibald Johnston Conservation Area. Officials aim to improve the stream’s health by restoring the natural flow.
-
Leaf-peeping season is right around the corner in the Valley, moving from north to south as temperatures drop into fall across the commonwealth. Here's why the region could see an earlier, shorter season.
-
The box tree moth, a highly destructive, invasive insect, was discovered for the first time in Pennsylvania, in two cemeteries in Erie County. A quarantine has been issued.
-
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.