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.
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This first round of designations included 483 tracts across the country, with only one in the Lehigh Valley. Officials said additional designations are slated for the next 12 to 18 months. -
A colony with tens of thousands of honeybees was removed Wednesday from beneath the roof of the government building. The honeybee population is shrinking. James Zdepski is looking to change that.
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Olivia Teel became the city’s forester in June. A native of the Lehigh Valley, who also studied environmental science at a local university, Teel’s devotion to the environment extends past working hours.
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Early-aught hip-hop hitmakers Nelly and Chingy performed Friday at third night of the Allentown Fair grandstand.
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While three out of four Lehigh Valley residents are either “very” or “somewhat” concerned with loss of open space, about a third expressed concerns about the quality of air and drinking water in the region. Read the latest in our "Life in the Lehigh Valley" series.
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Two Allegiant flights slated for Wednesday afternoon have been canceled. Forecasters say the Category 3 story is 'unprecedented.'
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More than 2,600 acres on 35 farms in 18 counties across the commonwealth were preserved. Here are the Lehigh Valley farms now safe from development.
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The yet-to-be-named calf was born Aug. 4 and is the tenth oryx calf born at the zoo since 2014.
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As of Aug. 22, more than 300 raptors were counted during the Berks County sanctuary's annual autumn count. The count runs through Dec. 15.
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The Martin OM Biosphere guitar, which costs $2,299, received the Preferred by Nature Sustainability Framework certification, officials said Thursday. The Nazareth guitar maker is the first company to achieve the certification in the U.S., and only the second worldwide.
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The longest running raptor migration count in the world wrapped up for the 2024 season. Staff and volunteers spent more than 1,000 hours recording species as part of Hawk Mountain's conservation efforts.
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The project, beginning today, includes rebuilding the stream bank. Officials said increased public interest and use, climate change and more frequent high-water events have significantly eroded it.
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State environmental officials awarded $2.55 million in grants as part of a statewide effort to improve air quality in communities through cleaner fuel transportation infrastructure.
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Three farms in Lehigh County were the latest to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.
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During the 2023-24 hunting seasons, a record-breaking 261,672 pounds of venison from 6,905 deer and six elk statewide was donated through Hunters Sharing the Harvest. Find out how much was donated in the Lehigh Valley.
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Part of the DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program, the grants support projects to develop new parks, rehabilitate existing spaces and protect vital natural habitats. A dozen Lehigh Valley projects were funded.
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The Blue Mountain fire, also called the Gap Fire, on Nov. 2 erupted in Lehigh Township. The fire, which grew from 150 acres to almost 600, took seven days of fighting before it was marked 100% contained.
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Lehigh Gap Nature Center’s annual autumn Bake Oven Knob Hawk Watch ended late last month, with 9,373 migrating raptors recorded. While the overall count is lower than last year, many species exceeded 2023 totals.
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The Unidos Foundation was one of 12 community organizations across Pennsylvania to receive the grant. Money is earmarked to ensure that historically marginalized and underserved communities have access to information and resources about environmental protection.
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More than a year after the federal government held its first hearing on unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs, two more were held within a week in November.
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Lehigh Township volunteer firefighters shared the obstacles they faced fighting a 600-acre fire that erupted on Blue Mountain. Almost a month later, it's still not technically out.
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The Lehigh Valley is in a 9-inch rain shortfall. The prolonged dry spell has raised concerns about the longevity of fresh-cut Christmas trees this year. And, it's thinning out the trees planted this year to grow for future holiday seasons.
