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.
-
Wildlands Conservancy’s first fall photography contest is underway, with entries due just before midnight Thursday. Officials said the contest aims to encourage residents to explore the outdoors, as well as share their interest in nature with others in the community.
-
Starting this month, and running on select Thursdays through March, this year’s series includes officials from state and local agencies, as well as nonprofits. It's free for members and costs $5 for non-members.
-
Less than a decade old and with trainees coming from all over the country, Rodale Institute’s Veteran Farmer Training program aims to give veterans the tools they need to pivot into successful farming careers, as well as spread knowledge about sustainable farming practices and regenerative organic agriculture.
-
Two professors were recently awarded a three-year, $750,000 grant from NASA to help engage and retain women in STEM, or science, technology, engineering and math, disciplines. The college was one of seven institutions to get funding.
-
Hunters Sharing the Harvest, Pennsylvania’s venison donation program, has since 1991 built a network of deer processors and food pantries across the state, donating nearly 2 million pounds of venison. Deer rifle season begins Saturday.
-
The Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence is open to any commonwealth business, farm, government agency, educational institution or nonprofit organization that has developed or participated in a project that promotes environmental protection and stewardship. Applications are due by Jan. 3.
-
When state officials announced a series of in-person and virtual meetings there were no in-person meetings slated for the Lehigh Valley, even though the region is the third largest metropolitan area in the commonwealth. A meeting in Allentown has been added to the schedule.
-
A decade or so after buying his South Whitehall Township home in the late 1960s, Fred Buse started recording the average temperature, precipitation type and amount, as well as any animal sightings in his backyard to study and track the health of the local environment.
-
While the goal is to transition communities to clean energy while creating jobs, there are still many unknowns about the projects. Even though there are two hubs slated for Pennsylvania, it could be a while before the Lehigh Valley’s residents begin to feel any impacts.
-
First introduced by state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh Valley, in 2015 and approved by the Senate in July, the bill would increase the fine and direct any monies collected towards bald and golden eagle conservation efforts across the commonwealth.
-
City council on Wednesday will consider overriding Mayor Matt Tuerk's veto of council’s approved 2024 no-tax-increase budget, which did not include the position. Advocates still hope to find a way to a hire a sustainability manager.
-
The Lehigh County Authority released the estimate and a schedule of public meetings to review the plan and collect feedback from affected residents. The first meeting is scheduled for 6 tonight in South Whitehall Township.
