The Allegheny Front

Governor Josh Shapiro is appealing a court decision that stopped Pennsylania from joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. We'll find out why and what it means for climate action. As more solar projects are planned in rural areas, farmers are signing their sheep up for something called solar grazing. Plus, environmental activists from the Gulf Coast met up with anti-fracking activists in Appalachia to strategize and build solidarity. We have news about COP28 climate talks, calls for more radon testing in Pa., hydrogen, fracking and more.

It's Thanksgiving week, our favorite holiday at The Allegheny Front. (Well, one of them at least). This week, we give you tips for not creating the food waste that is cooking the planet and tell you about a pilot program that hopes to bring composting to Centre County. We also visit with the foragers and farmers who help make Pennsylvania the largest mushroom producer in the United States. And, we take a trip to a glacial deposit where bears feast on wild cranberries. We have news about a bill to address lead in school water fountains and a new historical sign that marks Penn State's agricultural roots.

For years, residents in Westmoreland County complained about a hazardous waste landfill. Now, federal investigators say it may be breaking several laws. Plus, despite dozens of protestors, an Ohio commission approved fracking in state parks and wildlife areas. We also revisit an interview with Tykee James, a leader in equitable access to outdoor spaces. Plus, a story about a Pennsylvania couple who visited all 124 of Pa.'s state parks. We have news about the National Climate Assessment, the one-year anniversary of Shell's cracker plant opening, federal money for environmental justice projects, and a milestone in land conservation in Pennsylvania.

Environmental groups protested outside of a coal and steel conference in Pittsburgh this week. We visit the first farm in Allegheny County to take advantage of a rule change that allows small farms to be preserved. A newly renovated passive house in State College promotes sustainability, energy efficiency and affordability. We also hear about the movement among churches in Pennsylvania to help solve the climate crisis. Plus, we have advice on how to reduce carbon emissions at home. We also have news about a wildfire in the Allegheny National Forest, a liquified natural gas export facility and polluting lawn equipment.

U.S. Steel unveiled two battery-powered locomotives it will use at its plants outside of Pittsburgh. It’s a small step to reduce the carbon footprint of one of the top greenhouse gas polluters in Pa. We’ll also hear about the legacy of the first lawsuit against the makers of the weedkiller Roundup, alleging it caused cancer, and why toxic pesticides are still on the market. Plus, what the auto workers’ strike and tentative agreement with American carmakers have to do with the transition to electric vehicles. News about a voluntary agreement between gas driller CNX and DEP to monitor air and other measures, a canceled offshore wind project, and a court decision that prohibits Pennsylvania from joining a carbon trading program to reduce power plant emissions.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is looking to educate the public about the problems invasive plants cause to local ecosystems and why using native species in gardens and yards is so important. We talk with Fernando Treviño, DEP's head of environmental justice, who says he wants impacted communities to have "a real voice and [be] part of the process from the beginning." Plus, we talk with Sandra Steingraber, lead author on the latest edition of a compendium of peer-reviewed scientific literature and other reports that show health risks associated with fracking. We have news about new federal money to make the electric grid climate-ready, state money to convert lawns to meadows, and an agricultural fair for kids in Allentown.

Insurance premiums could rise as more severe storms cause downed trees and dump water on Pennsylvania. We’ll also hear about a series of public meetings to learn about the health impacts of the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Plus, we take a closer at the news that Pa. will get parts of two federally-backed hydrogen hubs. We have news about federal funds for improving the tree canopy in the Pittsburgh area, capping off old oil and gas wells and supporting green manufacturing. Plus, a new solar project is coming to a Pittsburgh neighborhood amid news that Pa. is among the worst for renewable energy development.

Eight months after the train derailment and toxic chemical spill, some residents of East Palestine are still living away from home because they fear for their health. We'll also hear how deer are grazing on young trees and native plants in Pittsburgh's parks. Plus, tiny freshwater jellyfish have been living in the Great Lakes for a century. So why don't we know more about them? We have news about the selection of two hydrogen hubs for Pennsylvania, an injection well in Fayette County, a new hellbender license plate and more.

A group of doctors at UPMC pushed the Pittsburgh hospital system to do things like reduce waste and switch chemicals. Now the effort is gaining momentum. We’ll also talk with climatologist Michael E. Mann about his new book that looks back millions of years into Earth’s history to help us survive the climate crisis. Plus, environmentalists trawl local waterways in search of little plastic pellets that could harm wildlife. We have news about a potential lawsuit over plastic pollution in the Ohio River, EPA’s rejection of parts of U.S. Steel’s air quality permit for the Clairton Coke Works, and climate activists in Harrisburg.

A second injection well to dispose of fracking waste was approved in a Pittsburgh suburb, but many residents are unhappy with the decision. Also, a new study looks at how climate change has impacted poison ivy in Pennsylvania using museum specimens that date back to the 1840s. Plus, the Biden administration announced a new jobs program to tackle climate change. It’s based on a Depression-era program that changed the landscape across the country. We talk with climate activists who are biking across Pennsylvania to demand action. News about bowhunting in Pittsburgh’s parks, Pittsburgh’s plastic bag ban and Pennsylvania’s expanded monitoring plan for PFAS in waterways.

At a contentious meeting, an Ohio commission delayed a vote to approve fracking under state parks. A production about fossil fuel extraction is headed to western Pennsylvania. “Ezell, Ballad of a Land Man” delves into the complex issues of fracking and belonging. We talk with its writer and a local advocate about why it resonates with our region. Plus, we head to an orchard in Mercer County using regenerative farming techniques like spreading manure from local goats. And we stop at the first-ever Pittsburgh County Fair celebrating urban farming. We have news about an updated environmental justice policy for Pennsylvania and a new paper shows that utilities and regulators will need to consider how home energy storage systems will affect the grid.

Groups say proposals to use fracked natural gas to produce hydrogen in Western Pennsylvania pose health and climate risks. An investigation in Ohio alleges that many people whose names are on public comments in favor of fracking in state parks say they did not submit them. We'll also hear from an author who revisited the Youghiogheny River of his youth to find some changes for the better. Plus, the federal government wants to put the salamander mussel on the endangered species list. We revisit a story that joins researchers surveying the Allegheny River for the mudpuppy salamander that's critical for the mussel's survival. We have news about ticks, spotted lanternfly's risk to Pennsylvania forests, and the hellbender salamander.

Invasive snails have gained a foothold in Pennsylvania, crowding out native species. We join a team surveying Lake Erie for mysterysnails. We talk to people dealing with the latest summer heat wave about their thoughts on climate change. And a new documentary takes a fresh look at the life and death of coal in Appalachia. Plus, we take a look at what’s next for Hays Woods, Pittsburgh’s newest city park. We have news about PFAS, Pennsylvania’s Trail of the Year, and spotted lanternflies in Pittsburgh.

A new distillery in Northwestern Pennsylvania makes alcohol from sunflowers but also has an environmental education center and the world's longest bar made from a continuous piece of wood. We head to the Boundary Waters and Canoe Area Wilderness on Minnesota's border with Canda, where researchers and Indigenous leaders are reviving an age-old tradition of using fire to manage the land. We have news about a plan to bowhunt in two Pittsburgh parks to manage deer, a vote to create a climate action plan in Allegheny County, and criticism of a request to burn tires at a waste coal plant.

Many people are paying stormwater fees on their utility bills, but don't really understand the projects they fund are helping to reduce pollution and flooding from storms. And, a new video series gives tips on combatting climate change through things we can control at home. Plus, finding ways to make a wedding more sustainable can feel overwhelming, but there are afforable ways to say "I do" to a greener wedding. News about the Chesapeake Bay, new electric vehicle charging stations coming to Pa., spotted lanternflies are decreasing in parts of the state, and why one borough is suspending its climate program.

A recent study found children living near gas wells had an increased risk of developing a cancer called lymphoma, while people with asthma had a four to five times greater chance of having an asthma attack. One researcher calls the results “a bombshell.” We have reactions from parents and activists at a community meeting to address the health concerns. And, after dozens of malfunctions and 15 air quality violations at Shell's Beaver County ethane cracker, a new investigation looks at how well the Pennsylvania DEP is monitoring the massive facility and how the company reports incidents to the agency. Plus, a champion stone skipper who got his start on Lake Erie talks about his technique and his world record of 88 skips.

The federal government is considering the creation of a marine sanctuary in the Pennsylvania portion of Lake Erie to help preserve shipwrecks, but it won’t stop recreation on the lake. We’ll also sort the facts from fiction when it comes to the concerns over solar panel installations. Plus, we’ll hear from the author of a new book on climate resilience who hopes to offer strategies to deal with the climate crisis so no one is left behind. News about solar on farms and schools, the cost of climate adaptation for Pa. municipalities, the price tag for a year without RGGI in Pennsylvania, and why more men are being exposed to harmful chemicals in personal care products.

We head to Cumberland County, where hikers who make it to the halfway point on the Appalachian Trail are taking part in a tradition and friendly competition of eating a half gallon of ice cream. Also, we talk to experts about how global heatwaves this summer are directly tied to climate change. We'll also learn why Western Pennsylvania is critical to stopping the spread of raccoon rabies. Plus, we talk with a Pennsylvania photographer who won a national prize for capturing the image of a female Baltimore oriole collecting horsehair for her nest. News about the 6-month anniversary of the East Palestine train derailment, a new study showing health improvement after a coke plant closed in Allegheny County, and a fine for Sunoco for its Mariner East pipeline.

We talk with scientists who discovered that a songbird rare in Pennsylvania is now breeding in the state. Plus, we explain why experts and community groups are calling for EPA to ban vinyl chloride, the chemical that was released and burned from train cars in the East Palestine derailment. And who is a relatively new air pollution rule in Allegheny County meant to protect? News about a $5 million settlement from Shell, heat islands in Philadelphia, wildfires in Pa., and natural gas drilling.

Smoke from this year's Canadian wildfire season is likely just the beginning. We talk with a fire ecology expert about the role of climate change in wildfires and what can be done about it. Only a few states have constitutional amendments guaranteeing clean air and water. There's a movement to change that. We'll also hear about a new study that looks at radioactive materials in waterways, which could have come from wastewater treatment plants that accept landfill runoff contaminated with fracking waste. News about a study to measure methane reductions from Pennsylvania dairy farms, another sinkhole forms along the Mariner East pipeline, and discussions about a natural gas severance tax are happening once again in Harrisburg.