The Allegheny Front Environmental Podcast

President Biden’s plans to invest in clean energy could create high-paying union jobs. But not everyone's on board. New reports outline thousands of new jobs to clean up old mines and gas wells. A new project in the Laurel Highlands gives amphibians a place to breed in peace. Some local concerns over the newly designated New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

Why fracking is a tricky issue for Senate candidate John Fetterman. An environmental justice leader says vacant land in communities of color is "an environmental emergency." A citizen science project for the whole family can help save frogs. Plus, syrup for your pancakes doesn't only have to come from maple trees.

How federal and local policies look to address aging infrastructure from stormwater pipes to bridges. Pittsburgh wants a more equitable water system. Plus, state health officials visit Shell's ethane cracker in Beaver County because of an uptick in Covid-19 cases there.

Bald eagles are bringing joy to Philadelphians, while one artist shows off her love of the Delaware. Climate change is causing many plants to leaf out or bud early. This mismatch could wreak havoc on the ecosystem. Why a new air permit at the Clairton Coke Works could increase pollution emissions.

Why fracking wastewater injected deep underground could come back to the surface. A whistleblower claims there are safety issues with the pipeline that will supply Shell's ethane cracker. A look at life along the Delaware River.

Sales of special license plates help fund research for rare species. Conservationists plant a red spruce forest for northern flying squirrels, ready in 50 years. Settlements with energy companies will pay some landowners and protect a nature preserve. And one man's love of wetlands.

An investigation finds fracking chemicals in the bodies of people living near gas wells in SW Pa. Fossil fuel reps say gas and coal are part of the climate solution. Some Pa. Democratic lawmakers agree. For our First Person series, we talk with a young forester about how she came to love the outdoors. News about plastic bag bans, a tax on gas, and the Revolution pipeline.

Fracking is banned in the Delaware River watershed. Farmers can help reduce carbon in the atmosphere. But what's in it for them? A contentious budget hearing for the Pennsylvania DEP brings up RGGI and falsehoods. The plot to get Americans to cook with gas. We head out for some winter fun.

Redlining has led to fewer green spaces in many communities across the country. We kick off a new series talking with Black leaders in environmental organizations with Grow Pittsburgh's new executive director. People in counties with drilling activity haven't seen the economic benefits of the industry. Citizen science projects you can do from your couch.

Some in Ohio say frack waste injection wells are being permitted in places where they don’t belong. Activists want a permit revoked for an injection well near Pittsburgh. A local practitioner shows us his version of ski ballet. There may be snow on the ground, but we're planning for that summer garden now.

What you need to know about Allegheny County meeting federal air standards for the first time ever. Meanwhile, Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf's budget address doesn't mention climate, a gas well spews wastewater in Ohio, and New River Gorge rock climbers reckon with racist route names.

Reports of illegal dumping are up in Pennsylvania. Why? A wastewater authority is promoting solar energy in Centre County. A report criticizes DEP for allowing coal mining to damage streams. Allegheny County finally meets air quality standards.

Fears of harms from solar panels have been disproven by scientists. The Biden administration's policies on public lands will be be very different from Trump's. We look at environmental issues in the Pennsylvania legislature in the coming year. Climate scientist Michael Mann discusses new tactics by climate deniers, and why he's so optimistic for the future.

We've come to the end of our Trump on Earth podcast. After four years and 100 episodes, we take a look at the biggest rollbacks of the Trump administration, and the impacts on climate change, science and public lands. It's an episode you don't want to miss!

Pennsylvania is on the cusp of a solar boom, but are some against rows of solar panels in their backyards. Efforts in Ohio to create heavier penalties for trespass of infrastructure like gas pipelines. A former Trump EPA official shares his story and concerns about the role of science at the agency.

A look back at environmental stories of 2020. Blaming the pandemic, some people doubt that a petrochemical boom will come to the Ohio Valley. The boom and bust of the coal industry means Appalachia needs new economic solutions to undo decades of neglect. And the massive protests against racial discrimination last year brought more attention to environmental justice.

Local communities take climate action, with the help of a state program. Scientists combat an invasive insect killing hemlocks by introducing a new beetle. The sounds of nature are good for our health.

The human costs of natural gas development: Residents say living next to the construction of a new natural gas power plant is causing distress, while neighbors of a planned liquified natural gas export terminal are worried about risks of explosions. Advocates lay out a new agenda for the Lake Erie Watershed.

Seeking refuge from the upheaval of 2020 on a 70-mile hike. We also revisit stories about native plants in Pennsylvania: Saving a plant so rare, few have seen it; gardening with native plants; and how an invasive shrub and foraging mice could be bad for forests. Plus, residents speak out after an air inversion caused a string of bad air days in Allegheny County.

The call for a reimagined Civilian Conservation Corps to solve today's problems. Researchers work to develop a Lyme disease vaccine, while the tick's range increases, including urban parks. Pa bills would loosen rules for pollution reporting and conventional drilling. Federal charges against the Pittsburgh water agency.