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.
-
The free exhibit, “America’s Beautiful,” at Lehigh Gap Nature Center runs from Aug. 21 to Aug. 29. It includes 50 watercolor paintings of Smokey Bear. -
More than eight months after announcing a $600 million price tag over the next decade to upgrade aging water and wastewater treatment infrastructure, the Lehigh County Authority is reaching out to major industrial users.
-
Wednesday marked the end of the first round of a three-year initiative called TOWERS, or Tackling Obstacles for Women’s Engagement and Retention in STEM, at Cedar Crest. Through the program, incoming freshmen are paired with mentors to complete science projects, gaining confidence and community along the way.
-
Four farms in Lehigh and Northampton counties were the latest to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.
-
Three flights departing from Lehigh Valley International Airport on Monday have already been canceled. Officials are urging travelers to check their airline's website.
-
Musikfest organizers have already eliminated paper food and beverage tickets, and started using renewable energy sources to power tents, vendors and beer trucks – but the work continues to make the event more environmentally-friendly.
-
Over the past few days, Lehigh Valley residents have complained of bad smells wafting through Bethlehem and surrounding areas. Residents have described the most recent heavy odor as a rotting smell.
-
PennFuture and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network earlier this month realized a win in their case against the Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, or Transco, and the state Department of Environmental Protection.
-
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.
-
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.
-
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection last week launched the Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction grant program. Aimed at schools and childcare facilities, the program is focused on testing for, and remediating, lead in drinking water.
-
For the sixth year, Nurture Nature Center will hold the Youth Climate Summit of the Lehigh Valley. The free event aims to engage middle and high school students in climate change issues, as well as seek solutions.
-
President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency canceled Pennsylvania’s $13 million contract with the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program. A pandemic-era program, farmers were paid to supply local food banks with fresh produce.
-
Team Pennsylvania on National Agriculture Day released “The Pennsylvania Agriculture Economic Analysis 2025.” The report takes a deep data dive into the commonwealth’s agriculture sector from 2012-2022.
-
Pasa Sustainable Agriculture on Wednesday held virtual town hall focused on the current freeze on U.S. Department of Agriculture grants earmarked for farmers implementing climate-smart production practices.
-
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Environment Committee on Tuesday reviewed plans to update sewage infrastructure in two municipalities.
-
Lehigh Gap Nature Center from Feb. 14-16 held its annual Lehigh Gap Area Feeder Watch. The long-term research project focuses on monitoring winter bird populations.
-
Increased stress due to everyday life, like politics or the economy, coupled with habitual, risky behaviors distracting the driver from the road, can create a slippery slope, ripe for crashes, experts said. Plus, those risky behaviors are far more common than the average driver would think.
-
A recent bald eagle rehabilitation and release is a bright spot amid a dangerous time for bald eagles in the Lehigh Valley and the rest of the commonwealth. Bird flu continues to threaten wild bird populations, causing more than a dozen bald eagles to be euthanized across Pennsylvania.
-
The first-of-its-kind report, “Wildlife Corridors: How reconnecting habitats is protecting Pennsylvania’s native species," highlights 10 innovative wildlife corridor projects around the state.
-
Pasa Sustainable Agriculture officials say they're owed more than $3 million in outstanding reimbursements from the federal government. The lawsuit includes six other organizations and five major cities.
-
Fahy Commons on March 3 received certification through Phius, a Chicago-based nonprofit that sets standards and certifies high-efficiency buildings.
