
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.
-
A half-dozen city leaders and environmental advocates highlighted the economic, environmental and public health benefits the implementation of clean truck standards could reap across the Valley.
-
More than 100 businesses, officials, organizations and environmental advocates statewide — including two from the Lehigh Valley — signed a letter to Shapiro arguing his economic development plan, “Pennsylvania Gets It Done,” fails to prioritize sustainable industries and instead doubles down on fossil fuels.
-
Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity was one of 17 libraries in 14 counties statewide to receive Keystone Grants.
-
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission last week released a draft of its Priority Climate Action Plan, a document almost a year in the making aimed at tamping down the region’s carbon emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change.
-
Five farms, three in Lehigh County and two in Northampton County, were the latest to be included in the commonwealth’s Farmland Preservation Program, along with more than a dozen others across the state.
-
A Lehigh Valley resident was recognized as a “Volunteer of the Year” for 2023 by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, a statewide nonprofit that focuses on litter cleanups and community improvements.
-
One area of potential concern at the Allentown State Hospital had been the presence of dioxins in the soil. Dioxins are a group of toxic chemical compounds that take a long time to break down in the environment, and can cause health problems in people.
-
It’s a special year for cicadas, insects known for their high-pitched mating songs. Two adjacent broods are expected to co-emerge for the first time in 221 years. Here's the next time they emerge in the Valley.
-
Stanley cups have skyrocketed in popularity, following other trends in reusable drinkware. But, fads like these can encourage overconsumption, experts said.
-
This weekend is the 27th annual Lehigh Gap Area Feeder Watch. Officials are calling for volunteers.
-
Grant applications for the Municipal Opportunities for Retrofits and Energy Efficiency, or MORE, Program are open. Loans are also available through a Lehigh Valley lender.
-
Three farms in Lehigh and Northampton counties were the latest to be included in the state’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.
-
For the first time in more than three decades, and at a cost of nearly $500,000, the Boardwalk at the Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary.has been completely restored and made compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
-
More than two dozen state legislators, including one from the Lehigh Valley, have co-sponsored HB2238, which would eliminate the use of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in household products.
-
Allentown Environmental Advisory Council members on Monday night voted unanimously to submit comments to city officials on a proposed overhaul of zoning regulations, including eight recommendations.
-
State officials are holding a virtual town hall meeting Wednesday for residents to share their feedback on the Bureau of Forestry’s newest strategic plan. Here's how to participate.
-
Officials gathered at the Lehigh Valley Zoo Thursday evening for a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of Rothrock Red Panda Peak. It's the first time the zoo has had red pandas in residence.
-
Environmental and county officials this week began dismantling a dam over Bushkill Creek in an effort to restore the creek. The removal will improve water quality, stormwater function and connectivity for fish and other organisms.
-
While monitoring continues, Lehigh Valley Breathes officials used the most recent project update to explain results from the research this spring at Lehigh University.
-
During this year’s spring migration count, which runs from April 1 through mid-May, Hawk Mountain volunteers and staff tallied 1,001 birds of prey.
-
Three Lehigh Valley researchers are arguing bird-strike fatalities are much higher than we might think. They recently published a peer-reviewed study showing bird deaths from window strikes are nearly double previous estimates, and likely higher.
-
The colleges have formed a partnership to build and bring online a solar facility in western Kentucky. When completed, the facility will offset electricity usage at the institutions, effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation to zero.