The Allegheny Front

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This week, Inside Climate News tells us about their three-part investigation of solid fracking waste in Pennsylvania. We also look at the climate impacts of concrete, and talk with a couple that's taken their fascination with birds into the studio.

We have news about environmental groups objecting to an air quality permit for a natural gas plant at the site of the former coal plant in Homer City, Indiana County, and research shows that salt used for winter de-icing is being found in Pennsylvania waterways throughout the year.

...

We're asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. 

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's episode:

Some...

It's our end-of-year membership drive!

Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount.

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Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's show:

It's our end-of-year membership drive!

Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount.

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's show:

It's our end-of-year membership drive!

Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount.

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's show:

It's our end-of-year membership drive!

Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount.

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's show:

Drilling for oil and gas creates waste that can contain heavy metals and radioactivity, and much of it...

It's our end-of-year membership drive!

Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount.

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's show:

An Allegheny County borough plans to vote next month on a plan to build a massive data cen...

It's our end-of-year membership drive!

Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount.

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's show:

The Ohio River Basin is poised for a multi-year ecological restoration after decades of industrial pollution, but onl...

It's our end-of-year membership drive!

Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount.

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's show:

The Trump administration is looking to boost coal production, and one company is planning to expand its coa...

It's our end-of-year membership drive!

Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount.

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

The Pennsylvania natural gas company CNX is suing a California-based news outlet for defamation in federal court over an article the news site pub...

We're asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. 

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's episode:

The...

We're asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. 

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's episode:

Cons...

We're asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. 

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's episode:

Our...

We're asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. 

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's episode:

The...

We're asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. 

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

On this week's episode:

We're in the midst of our Fall Member Drive. We're asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. 

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And than...

We're in the midst of our Fall Member Drive. We're asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. 

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And tha...

Sign up for our newsletter! Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story. 

Food waste is a big climate problem. In Pittsburgh, you can drop off your food waste for composting at city-run farmers' markets. A startup is helping restaurants, schools and hospitals manage their food waste with a digester that fits into a shipping container. The easiest way to compost your food scraps might just be in your own backyard.      

Dozens of schools in Pennsylvania are planning to build solar panels on their roofs despite federal tax credits ending early...

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This week on The Allegheny Front, we talk to a researcher who found that health improved for residents after the closure of a coke plant that processed coal for the steel industry. He said, "There was like a healing going on in the community as the cumulative impacts of the pollution were reduced."

We visit a glass recycling plant in Western Pennsylvania. Even though "glass is infinitely recyclable, which other systems can't necessarily tout," Pennsylvania is behind o...

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Farmers at an agricultural summit voiced concerns over how new tariffs might affect their customers who buy locally. With air monitors, an environmental group is publishing real-time pollution data for people who live near the ethane cracker and other industries in Beaver County. A Pittsburgh-based environmental group has issued a formal notice of intent to sue companies for polluting the Allegheny River with oil. Several dozen steelworkers and supporters marched in Downtown Pittsburgh to call for safer workplaces. Pennsylvania's elk cam has started up again for the rutting season.  

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A computer scientist wanted to build a watch using a living organism. What ended up working was slime mold. An environmental history book about Pennsylvania aims to include multiple perspectives. A new study says schools across Pennsylvania aren't addressing environmental hazards in their buildings. The campgrounds at Raystown Lake closed because of a freeze on hiring workers are reopening on a phased schedule.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.<...

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An explosion at a U.S. Steel coke plant outside of Pittsburgh killed two workers and sent 10 to the hospital. We'll hear a worker's first-hand account of the incident and what nearby residents in the Mon River valley are saying. The plant has a history of maintenance problems, explosions, and environmental violations. Climate change is making it harder to keep invasive plants away from recreational trails in Pennsylvania. Volunteers are working to make trail systems more climate resilient.

The Environmental Protection Agency has canceled a $7 billion Biden-era program to build...

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The Trump administration has paused new rules that would have reduced air pollution from steel mills drifting into surrounding communities. What advocates and residents who live near U.S. Steel plants are saying. Wildfire smoke from Canada is contributing to home-grown air pollution, and what we can do about it. A Pittsburgh-area library is loaning gas-free cooktops for patrons to test out.

The families of four West Virginia children have sued a Pittsburgh-based gas producer over health effects from fracking. An annual road trip aimed at dispelling myths about electric...

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Electricity prices are rising, and many are pointing the finger at the new energy demand created by data centers. An energy expert on where this is all heading. The Trump administration is moving to overturn the scientific finding that greenhouse gases are bad for public health. A Washington County gas company is facing criminal charges for a massive leak at a gas storage field. More than two years after the disaster in East Palestine, lawmakers are still trying to increase safety regulations on railroads. We tag along on a wildflower hike in...

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Solar installations on homes have been booming because of tax breaks from the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, those incentives are going away. Pennsylvania could also lose $156 million meant to help low-income people reduce their energy bills through solar power. But seventy acres of a former steel slag heap is almost cleaned up and ready to transform into a sea of solar panels. The price for energy is rising at the region's electric grid operator. Companies that mine metallurgical coal are now in line to receive a 2.5 percent tax credit thanks to President...

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President Trump was in Pittsburgh whipping up support for building data centers and the gas infrastructure to power them. But many worry that electricity ratepayers will get stuck with higher bills as demand for energy grows. A new online tool helps people who live near industrial facilities learn more about the chemicals and pollutants they're being exposed to. Clean air quality advocates in Allegheny County held a virtual town hall meeting this week to push for increasing certain industrial operating fees. 

Cleanup work at a contaminated former dishware factory site i...

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Business and industry leaders are talking a lot about the possibilities of AI, but the technology also comes with environmental costs. A longtime critic of the natural gas industry is leaving his post at an environmental nonprofit and recommends changing laws or making new ones.  A book that asks what we can learn from going back millions of years into Earth's history that could help us survive the climate crisis. What do everyday people think about the climate-related extreme weather we've been experiencing?

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Swimmer's itch is a rash you can get from swimming in lakes, so researchers working in the Great Lakes have tried to eradicate it by treating ducks that carry the parasite that causes it. Nothing has worked, and people have started thinking about the problem of swimmer's itch differently. It has been five years since a Pennsylvania grand jury report slammed state regulators for not protecting residents from the impacts of fracking. Advocates want Governor Josh Shapiro to do more. Environmental groups will soon be canvassing Southwestern Pennsylvania on foot, by car...

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Pennsylvania leaders say the state needs more energy, so there's a plan to create a board to streamline the siting of new power projects. Environmental groups and others are split on the idea. Environmental groups in Western Pennsylvania want to meet with officials from Nippon Steel to discuss how it plans to clean up its newly acquired U.S. Steel plants in the region. Residents who live along the Mountain Valley gas pipeline are still worried a year later about their health and safety. A new exhibit at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden...

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The Ohio River Basin provides millions of people with water, but it's one of the most polluted river systems in America. A plan to clean up the Ohio River goes public. Are President Trump and congressional Republicans going to tank America's EV industry before it can get off the ground? An effort to make buildings in Pittsburgh more efficient meets a milestone. A portion of land in Somerset County, Pa., part of a critical ecosystem, has been protected through a recent land acquisition. 

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This week, the approval of a coal mine expansion in Western Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands has residents worried. Also, more than 100 mine researchers and engineers at a federal office in Allegheny County are slated for termination. We talk with Pittsburgh journalists who were asked by Australians to report about Alcoa's mining operations near an ancient forest there. Cicadas make their 17-year appearance in central Pa.

We have news about rollbacks to power plant rules, cuts to solar tax credits, a new state energy siting board and menstrual products in state parks.<...

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After Traci Lynn Martin's mom died, she knew she couldn't keep putting off her dream: becoming the first person to kayak around the Great Lakes in one year. So she quit her job as a nurse, cashed out part of her retirement savings, and set out to accomplish her goal. We have the story of her journey.

We head to the Allegheny River for a kayak tour with a unique twist, participants made art together.

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River otters have made a comeback in Pennsylvania. Veterans are building a sunflower garden for a community, but also helping each other adjust to non-military life in the process. A former dairy farmer turned musician uses his story to get others in agriculture to talk about their feelings and find healing.

Plus, Pittsburgh's parks rank 15th out of 100 cities in the United States. With a hot summer forecasted, federal regulators are warning the margins between electricity supply and demand are shrinking.

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A new outdoor recreation area in a Pittsburgh park is meant to include people of all abilities. When hikers make it to the halfway point on the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania, there's a tradition of eating a half gallon of ice cream. An environmental reporter shifts his perspective by leaning into the landscape. A network of trails in Northeast Pennsylvania that follows old railroad corridors is now carrying economic development across the region.

From our archives, how a 67-year-old grandmother hiked the Appalachian Trail in just a pair of Keds. A...

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A nonprofit hopes to help landowners reclaim mineland in Appalachia by planting trees and selling carbon credits. Their first partner is the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. A bill in the Pennsylvania legislature would withhold funding from communities that try to restrict shale gas drilling because of pollution and disruption. De-paving parties involve hard hats, sledgehammers, and a lot of volunteers to create space for water drainage and gardens.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday over the state's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, known as RGGI. A southwestern Pennsylvania s...

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Last year, workforce development organizations in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia were awarded a $15 million EPA grant to train people in landscaping and tree pruning, and to expand their services. But the federal government just terminated the grant. A new map shows there have been important federal investments in clean energy across Pennsylvania, but as federal dollars to support climate initiatives become uncertain, more action is needed. A reporter was stopped by police for asking follow-up questions at an oil and gas committee meeting.

Also, an Ohio Commission approved putting another parcel o...

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The future of the Endangered Species Act is in question. A bill to amend it was recently introduced in Congress, and environmentalists are taking issue with it. Attacks by black bears are exceedingly rare, but they do happen. How proximity to humans and our pets could be pushing some species, like black bears, to act erratically. Pittsburgh International Airport is doubling the size of its solar field about a mile from the main terminal.

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Cement is the glue that keeps concrete together, and it has a big carbon footprint. That's a problem for a warming planet. A Johnstown-based mining company has gotten the go-ahead to expand an underground coal mine in Westmoreland County. The site of a demolished coal-fired power plant is being redeveloped to build a massive gas-fired power plant and data center. The American Lung Association gave Pittsburgh's air quality an "F" in its latest annual report.

Proponents of sustainable fashion hope tariffs on cheap clothes from overseas will turn consumers on t...

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President Trump gives coal power plants an extension on complying with new mercury pollution standards. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is looking to roll back many other climate and environmental regulations faster than the normal process of appealing these rules allows. Invasive plant species like thorny multiflora rose are damaging Pennsylvania forests. A Pittsburgh natural history museum is taking a closer look at the problem.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has begun its annual Black Fly Suppression Program. Camping reservations are up at Pennsylvania's state parks and forests.

W...

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The site of a recently retired coal plant in Indiana County is getting a new life as a data center. Plans have been scrapped for a controversial plastic recycling plant in Erie. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to boost coal production, but it may not do much to reverse the industry's fortunes. A new book highlights the natural beauty of the Youghiogheny River.

Nearly 2,000 top scientists, engineers and medical researchers signed a letter saying that the Trump administration is decimating the nation's scientific enterprise. Federal funding for the M...

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Solar advocates fear a rider attached to a low-income solar bill in the PA House will upend roof-top solar. The former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, responds to the Trump administration's plans to mine public lands for more energy resources. The owners of a recently demolished coal-fired power plant in Homer City, PA announced the site will become a data center powered by the largest natural gas plant in the country. The CEO of Appalachia's biggest natural gas producer says more pipelines are coming as data centers expand and c...

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President Trump is a big supporter of coal, and that's giving some in the industry hope for a comeback. But others don't see any future for coal. EPA employees and people retired from the agency rallied in Philadelphia to protest the Trump Administration's efforts to reshape the agency. How environmentalists are reacting to the Environmental Protection Agency's intention to rollback 31 regulations. We talk with a young climate organizer for her tips for moving the needle on the climate crisis.

Governor Josh Shapiro says Pennsylvania will appeal a decision by the U...

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Fracking under Ohio parks is moving forward, but park visitors have mixed reactions about the industry. The ethane cracker in Beaver County has only been operating for a few years, but its owners may be looking to sell. We talk with the lead author of a new study on the connection between infant mortality and lead exposure.

In another blow to the offshore wind industry, the Environmental Protection Agency has pulled a permit for the Atlantic Shores project in New Jersey. Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County is cancelling this year's c...

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The future of nuclear energy might be microreactors. With new air monitors, an environmental group is publishing real-time pollution data for people who live near the ethane cracker and other industries in Beaver County. How bird flu and the price of eggs are influencing Pennsylvania consumers.

And, the new head of the EPA announced sweeping plans to roll back 31 separate environmental protections. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and a crypto mining company have agreed to speed the cleanup of the company's unpermitted coal ash dumping.

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Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made it easier for churches and schools to install solar panels. How will the Trump administration impact the growth of solar in Pennsylvania? A hazardous waste landfill in Westmoreland County has been a thorn in the side of nearby residents for decades. To fight plastic pollution in the Great Lakes, scientists are calling for a more unified effort in the region.

Residents living within a mile of a U.S. Steel plant in Braddock, near Pittsburgh, have until March 17 to opt out of a...

How word of a federal funding freeze disrupted efforts to clean up a century's worth of abandoned mine pollution in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced the state again has access to more than $2 billion of federal money that had been frozen by the Trump administration. While some federal funding to Pennsylvania has been restored, other monies, like aid for farmers, are still in limbo. The Trump administration's recent firings of staff at the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service have conservation organizations concerned.

Faith leaders, environmental advocates, and community organizers met for Pittsburgh's...

Many people want to install solar panels on their homes to reduce costs and carbon pollution. Now a government program that makes solar more affordable is at risk. Environmental advocates applaud Governor Shapiro's lawsuit against the Trump administration for freezing funds for infrastructure and climate programs. While it was very cold in much of the U.S., January was the hottest on Earth. An environmental education center in Northwestern Pennsylvania includes a distillery that makes alcohol from an unusual local product: sunflowers.

Also, new research from Drexel University finds kids in Philadelphia continue to have elevated levels...

Pennsylvania has been expecting $171 million over 5 years to build electric vehicle charging stations across the state. However, the Trump administration has abruptly cut off the funds. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro filed a federal lawsuit to challenge the Trump Administration's effort to freeze federal grants. The administration is also reassigning Department of Justice employees from environmental programs.

Plus, bird flu is spreading to mammals. A new report finds since the construction of Shell's ethane cracker Beaver County's economy and population continue to decline. Pittsburgh rallies for climate action, and Pennsylvania could get its first underground state park.

Several clean energy projects are already underway across the county, including a hydrogen hub that's moving forward in western Pennsylvania. But will it survive President Trump's campaign to undo Joe Biden's climate legacy? At the second anniversary of the East Palestine train derailment, some residents were unimpressed with the parade of politicians who made an official visit. A new campaign hopes to bring more voices to the fight against air pollution.

Also, in his budget address, Governor Josh Shapiro said he plans to lower energy costs for families. Owners of the Mountain Valley Pipeline have asked federal...

This week on The Allegheny Front, a special report. It's been two years since the the Norfolk Southern train derailed near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border. Researchers have been looking at how the toxic chemicals released in the disaster could impact people's health, and many who lived nearby still have health questions. A Western Pennsylvania Congressman is calling on leaders in Washington to pass rail safety legislation.

Also, Gov. Josh Shapiro touts an agreement to prevent spike in electricity bills. Fifteen environmental justice communities in Allegheny County are now eligible to receive funds to address climate change. A festival...

Manufacturing is cleaner and more automated than when it peaked in the Pittsburgh area in the 1950s. Federal dollars and clean energy have revolutionized manufacturing, but what happens now that President Trump is back in office? Jobs in clean energy are expanding faster in Pennsylvania than the state's overall economy, according to a new report. A climate journalist looks at the potential consequences of President Trump's first executive orders dealing with energy development.

In its last days, the Biden Administration awarded Pennsylvania money to launch rebate programs for electric appliances like heat pumps and home improvements that...

As cities try to reduce emissions, getting more people to adopt solar energy is key. Community-owned solar projects could be a solution. Some operators want to extend the lives of coal plants because of increased energy demand. President-elect Trump has endorsed relaxing regulations that could help do this. Farmers are doing everything they can to prevent a bird flu outbreak in Pennsylvania.

Plus, could climate polluters face criminal charges in Pennsylvania for causing or risking a catastrophe? Suicide prevention in rural areas is a focus at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, and how ice jams cause flooding.

A well pad explosion in Ohio has caused some local communities to worry about the safety of oil and gas. What does the Farm Bill have to do with climate change? A bid to sell U.S. Steel to a Japanese company gets shot down by President Biden. What does it mean for air quality in the region? A new state program that aims to save schools money through solar energy is open for applications. States have begun rolling out new federally funded rebates to help households pay for energy efficiency upgrades and electric appliances. However, the programs are i...

Happy New Year from everyone here at The Allegheny Front!

Thank you to all who donated during our end-of-the-year campaign. While we didn't quite meet our goal of $15,000, it's never too late to donate. And when you do, you become a member of The Allegheny Front - you'll get invites to chats with our reporters and members-only updates from our team.

Best of all, you'll be supporting independent journalism that's reporting on environmental issues impacting our communities across the region. We appreciate the support!

Donate today. 

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Hi podcast listeners! We only have just a few days left to raise $15,000.

Every dollar matters. Take action today to keep your community informed in 2025.

Give now and your donation will be doubled for double the impact.

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And thanks! 

This week's episode:

Twenty-five million people live in the Ohio River watershed, and some don't have clean water to drink. A report out earlier this year is one step in the effort to...

We only have 1 more week to raise $15,000. Right now, we're not quite half way through!

Every dollar matters. It helps us pay our journalists to travel the region to produce the stories on pressing environmental issues that you come to expect. It helps us pay for the technology to edit and mix our stories and podcast, host our podcast and keep our website updated.

Take action today to keep your community informed in 2025. Give now and your donation will be doubled for double the impact. 

Donate today. 

Or send us a ch...

We're more than halfway through our end-of-the-year fundraiser. Between now and December 31st, we hope to raise $15,000 to help fund our work in the year ahead.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. All donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar to double your impact.

Donate today. 

Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. 

And th...

We're more than halfway through our end-of-the-year fundraiser. Between now and December 31st, we hope to raise $15,000 to help fund our work in the year ahead.

We're independent and non-profit, and we don't get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support.

Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. All donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar to double your impact.

Donate today. And thanks! 

This week's show:

Steel is a major contributor to climate change. Co...

Our end-of-the-year campaign is in full swing and with your help, we can raise important funding to keep our independent, nonprofit newsroom strong.

Through Dec. 31st, your monthly donation will be matched 12 times, or your one-time donation will be doubled!

Democracy needs news. News needs you. Will you answer the call?

Donate today. And thanks! 

Pennsylvania's trees are facing a multitude of threats including fungus, insects, and worms, like the ones that cause beech leaf disease. American chestnut trees once thrived in our region, but 150 years ago a fungus wiped them ou...

We just kicked off our end-of-the-year campaign and with your help, we can raise important funding to keep our independent, nonprofit newsroom strong.

Through Dec. 31st, your monthly donation will be matched 12 times, or your one-time donation will be doubled!

Democracy needs news. News needs you. Will you answer the call?

Donate today. And thanks! 

The Northeast has faced a record-breaking drought this fall. It's impacting trees, including the ones we put in our homes at Christmas. Most steel is made using coal. A new report says emissions from plants that ar...

Last year the Biden administration tasked federal agencies with considering environmental justice in their decisionmaking. Some say that isn't happening as planning for the seven new hydrogen hubs moves forward nationwide. Water quality in Pennsylvania streams is being hindered by aging dams, many of which are dangerous and obsolete. Climate-related weather like flash floods and extreme heat impacts people experiencing homelessness.

Also, an environmental group wants state regulators to tighten water pollution restrictions on a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh which has released oil into the Monongahela River. Friends of the Riverfront released a new plan...

This week on The Allegheny Front, the election. We'll hear from voters in Pennsylvania who are skeptical about climate change and solutions, like electric vehicles and solar energy. Environmental leaders react to what a second Trump administration will mean for the climate. And, how state elections might and might not impact environmental progress in Pennsylvania.

Democrats are hoping to get climate policy passed by flipping at least three seats in the Pennsylvania State Senate. But a race in Pittsburgh's suburbs is leaving the environment out. More rain as a result of climate change is causing landslides and testing planning decisions made decades ago. Money from the Inflation Reduction Act is starting to flow into Pennsylvania, but future funding could be threatened by a second Trump administration.

Also, Pennsylvania will receive about $245 million this year to clean up abandoned mine lands. With the presidential election just days away, environmental justice advocates see high...

What's at stake in the upcoming presidential race? Republicans say they want to repeal Biden's big climate law, but the law also includes subsidies for a product oil and gas companies are interested in—hydrogen. Independent research after the East Palestine train derailment found many of the same chemicals that were officially reported in the aftermath. But researchers also found a number of other chemicals in places where officials were not necessarily testing. A  group is trying to convince the neighbors to tackle yardwork more naturally.

Also, the Three Mile Island nuclear plant owner says it should be...

After a coal-fired power plant closed last year, residents of the southwestern Pennsylvania community are trying to make a go of tourism by cleaning up its legacy pollution. A new environmental history book about Pennsylvania aims to include multiple perspectives. New color-correcting viewfinders in some state parks will allow people who are colorblind to enjoy the autumn leaf show.

Also, new federal funds will help remove lead paint in buildings across Pennsylvania. A nonprofit is launching a pilot project in Pennsylvania to lease rooftop solar installations to low- and moderate-income residents. Pittsburgh is one of 10 U.S...

Former President Trump has been claiming there is a Biden electric vehicle mandate. There isn't one, but the rhetoric has some EV advocates concerned.  A new study shows support for leasing land for solar projects in Pennsylvania farming communities. Volunteers are knocking on doors to get people who care about the environment and climate change to vote.

Also, lead drinking water pipes in the U.S. must be removed within 10 years. A new survey looks at Pennsylvanians' attitudes toward fracking. A Weirton plant that makes batteries to store wind and solar energy gets a $150 million grant from t...

Even though a president couldn't ban fracking in Pennsylvania, it's still being talked about this campaign season. We fact-check what's being said. In light of the East Palestine train derailment, advocates are pushing for more inclusion in disaster planning for people with disabilities. A new theatrical production hopes to entertain and educate people about a fuel source that comes from our own food scraps and the back end of cows.

Also, EPA has finalized a consent order with a hazardous waste landfill to lower its pollution discharges into a Westmoreland County stream. Two Clearfield County municipalities are...

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A judge signed off on a 600 million dollar settlement between Norfolk Southern and people who live near the East Palestine train derailment. But many are unhappy with the outcome. A new study looks at the influence of oil and gas industry donations on university research. Survivors of the worst industrial accident in world history in Bhopal, India visited Beaver County to talk about the multi-generational impacts of the chemical disaster and lessons for those living near chemical infrastructure in Pennsylvania.

A...

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A Pennsylvania-based driller is promoting its own data showing fracking poses no health risks. But public health experts are skeptical. Erie residents have questions about how a huge, proposed plastic recycling plant could impact them. We're not going to buy our way out of the climate crisis. What we can do instead.

Also, some Pennsylvania lawmakers want to repeal a regulation that would charge power plants for their climate-warming emissions. New measurements show climate pollution is escaping oil and gas...

There wasn't a lot of talk about the environment in Tuesday's presidential debate, except for one hot topic: fracking. We fact check the candidates' claims about the issue. Some people who live along Indian Creek in West Virginia had pristine well water, but that's changed they say, due to mining. Researchers in western Pennsylvania are soliciting help to learn more about invasive spotted lanternflies.

Plus, a new analysis finds state laws do not protect students from lead in school drinking water, and the Altoona school district responds to its failing grade on lead. Meanwhile, more than a...

As potato chips get more expensive, is climate change part of the reason? We crunch the numbers. As more flooding, erosion and invasive plants are impacting Pennsylvania's trails, groups are working to make trail systems more climate resilient. This November, the Pennsylvania legislature could get a makeover.  What are the stakes for the General Assembly in this election? 

We have news about why environmental groups are suing the EPA over new coke oven rules, why summertime brings more water pollution and what a new federal grant will do to improve the Delaware River watershed.

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This week on The Allegheny Front, during the COVID pandemic, a coal-fired power plant that was a way of life for many in one community closed. We traveled there to learn how they memorialized it. As more severe storms cause downed trees and dump water on Pennsylvania, insurance premiums could rise. A Pennsylvania task force charged with figuring out how to get more homes in the state covered by flood insurance released its recommendations this summer. Plus, a study shows a racist government policy enacted decades ago has led to fewer green spaces in many communities across the country...

This week on The Allegheny Front, the huge, federally funded hydrogen hub based on natural gas is getting started in Appalachia. The Department of Energy has promised transparency for the project, but some were not reassured after their latest public meeting. The climate law President Biden signed two years ago can help homeowners get money back for investing in solar panels, but there are tax breaks for smaller fixes, too. Plus, how agriculture experts in West Virginia are helping farmers manage the new challenges of climate change.  

This week, we have a special show about Indigenous people, land, water, and culture. Our first story looks at how the pawpaw, a fruit that mainly grows in the eastern US, continues to live in the memories and language of Indigenous people forced to move west. Then, we talk with an Indigenous scientist about her book that contrasts conservation science with Indigenous knowledge about the natural world. Plus, a paddler from the Seneca Nation takes a 300-mile journey down the Allegheny River to draw attention to protecting it and all waterways. 

This week, we're headed outdoors to get a fresh perspective. A 5th-grade science teacher boards a Lake Erie research vessel to learn more about plastic pollution. And a kayak tour on the Allegheny River has a unique twist: Participants also make art together. Plus, a new nonprofit hopes to eliminate the barriers that keep people from getting outside.

We have news about Asian carp in the Great Lakes, horseshoe crabs, a new solar program for schools and a fee for electric vehicles.

Now that Vice President Harris is on her way to becoming the Democratic nominee for president, how can she make sure people who care about climate change vote for her? Pennsylvania is looking for ways to create wildlife corridors so animals like bobcats and box turtles can safely move. Plus, a Pittsburgh environmental activist is celebrating a milestone for the grassroots lecture series she founded 12 years ago. We have stories about a new venture in Philadelphia that focuses on sustainable seafood, and how a researcher figured out lanternflies can hitch rides on vehicles, even ones going 60 miles per hour.<...

This week on The Allegheny Front, many of us are feeling the heat this summer, and climate change is fueling the soaring temperatures. A new book by climate scientist Rob Jackson tells the stories of people who are working to reduce climate-warming emissions in novel ways. Birds, like the bobolink, that need grassland habitat to nest are losing ground. What conservationists and farmers are doing about it. Plus, Pennsylvania is home to a prairie that is just now bursting with blooms.

This week, a stream polluted by an old coal mine at a former golf club is getting cleaned up thanks to a land trust and a new pot of federal money. Plus, we have news about why it's hard for states to access other federal mine reclamation money. We also talk with an author of a new report that says chemical recycling of plastics isn't all it's cracked up to be for the economy or the planet. We head to a festival celebrating a very special population of fireflies in Pennsylvania that flash in a pattern.

We...

Just over a year ago, the largest coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania closed. For some, it's been hard to accept. We'll visit Homer City to hear how it's going. A US Supreme Court decision to put a cross-state air pollution rule on hold could impact clean air in Pennsylvania. And, we tag along with a crew trying to save hemlock trees from an invasive pest. Plus a new report outlines ways to keep kids playing outside in the warmer months. As fossil fuel production has gone up in the U.S., greenhouse gas emissions have gone down as, except...

This week on The Allegheny Front, commercial fisheries in the Great Lakes hope to follow an example set in Iceland. It calls for using every part of the fish to increase the value of each one caught, while decreasing waste. And, central Pennsylvania is one of the best places for fly fishing, but there is a need to protect its prized streams from farm pollution. Plus, as coyotes move into cities, we have to face our myths about them.

The National Transportation Safety Board approved its investigative findings into last year's train derailment in East Palestine. It issued recommendations on rail safety and emergency response, criticizing Norfolk Southern for keeping critical information away from responders. Former workers at an oil refinery in Philadelphia remember the fire and explosion five years ago that shuttered the plant. Plus, giant wood sculptures at a botanic garden help visitors understand the bees and other pollinators that live among us.

We have news about pollution from gas stoves, another mishap at the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a new director of the Allegheny...

This week, the first town in Allegheny County commits to creating a bird-friendly community as an official Bird Town. We also talk with a climate scientist about how this week's heat wave is related to climate change. We have a preview of next week's release of the final report of a federal investigation into last year's Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, which will include insights into the decision to vent vinyl chloride from some of the railcars and burn it, which caused chemical contamination.

We have news about toxic PFAS in school drinking water, concerns...

CNX plans to use methane from coal mines to make hydrogen and clean jet fuel. To pay for it, they want to use new clean energy tax credits. Inside a brewing fight over billions of dollars in hydrogen subsidies. Some residents of Greene County want answers from EQT and state regulators about why their well water is giving them rashes after showers. They blame an event two years ago for their dirty water.

Plus, we talk with a family participating in Black Birders Week for the first time.  We have news about a whistleblower's claim against EPA's E...

This week, hospitals have a big carbon footprint. We report on how local medical professionals are fighting climate change. Some politicians and advocates are calling for a ban on the longtime practice of spreading drilling wastewater on dirt and gravel roads. We talk to a former DEP secretary who says this practice should remain illegal. Flooding can be devasting for communities. We look at what one Ohio River town is doing to prevent future disasters. Plus, the latest problem for the Mountain Valley Pipeline.

We have news about how a new coke oven rule will impact the...

This week on The Allegheny Front, Norfolk Southern will invest $200 million in rail safety as part of a settlement with the federal government over last year's train derailment in East Palestine. Earlier this month, a controversial natural gas pipeline that will soon go online failed a crucial safety test. We speak with a reporter who is following the story. Some student entrepreneurs looked for alternatives to firefighting foam and equipment which commonly contain PFAS, those forever chemicals linked to increased cancer risk. 

We have news about federal money for cleaner school buses, demands for transparency a...

This week, we talk to entomologist and author Doug Tallamy, who wants people to landscape with native plants to feed bees and other pollinators. His goal is for half of the 40 million acres of lawn in the U.S. to be replanted with native species in what he calls the "Home Grown National Park." We'll also visit a special bog habitat in eastern Pennsylvania that was formed in the ice age. Plus, we join researchers at Presque Isle State Park who are looking for an invasive snail that has gained a foothold in Lake Erie. New research reveals how...

A new film focuses on invasive species in some of Pennsylvania's pristine waters. The executive producer talks about how people can help keep invasives at bay. Also, a Superfund site in the woods of Bucks County won an environmental award. It's one of the Pennsylvania's last remaining coastal plain forests. As wedding season approaches, we look at ways to create an earth-friendly celebration. And new coke oven rules are expected to be finalized soon. We report on how they could impact U.S. Steel's Allegheny County facilities.

We have news about Pittsburgh Regional Transit's climate plan, installation...

This week, we have a special show about how people interact with wildlife and other animals. Our first story looks at what happens when urban and suburban deer populations get out of hand. Some cities and towns opt for bow hunting or bring in sharpshooters. But one community went another way: sterilizing female deer. Plus, a new book looks animals that can be classified as post-natural - those living things that have been intentionally altered by people, through domestication, selective breeding and genetic engineering.

We have news about a bill passed by the Pennsylvania Senate that would...

The federal government is betting big that creating hydrogen with solar and wind will be climate solution for hard to decarbonize industries. Some experts are skeptical. A shocking new book looks at radioactivity in oil and gas waste, and its impacts on workers who have experienced symptoms like their teeth falling out, strange rashes and cancer. Meanwhile, two fracking waste disposals facilities in Eastern Ohio are facing consequences for noncompliance. Residents in Westmoreland County are frustrated that a hazardous waste facility wasn't shut down despite violations.

We head to a fish hatchery that is key to Pennsylvania's...

As a coal plant winds down, its gradual closure has had ripple effects in the community, including local businesses, like restaurants. A community group rallied around stopping a chemical recycling plant in Central Pennsylvania, saying it's not the answer to slowing plastic pollution. The Energy Secretary visited the area to tout energy efficiency and union jobs. And Shell is hit with misdemeanor charges for allegedly underreporting spills along its pipeline.

We have news about new EPA rules for CO2 emissions for power plants, residential solar for disadvantaged and low-income communities, and the state of the air.  

This week on The Allegheny Front, as the transition to cleaner energy ramps up, a port is being built in New Jersey for the massive wind turbines headed into the Atlantic Ocean. And we talk with the author of a new report on tiny pieces of plastic litter on Great Lakes beaches. Plus, teens in Pittsburgh look to one another to solve the climate crisis.

Also, the Environmental Protection Agency releases new rules to reduce cancer risk from hazardous air pollution near chemical plants. Federal mine regulators publish a long-awaited rule to the amount of toxic silica...

Centralia, Washington, has been cited as a model for how to successfully transition away from coal.  What can the Appalachian region can learn from its example? And the new Farm Bill is being held up in Congress, but conservationists are pushing legislators to get it passed. Plus, the threat of Lyme disease doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy the outdoors.

News about a $1 million-dollar fine for a gas leak that was called the country's worst climate disaster in 2022, EPA's new rule for PFAS in drinking water and a class action settlement with Norfolk Southern.

The Department of Energy just finalized a rule to make the energy grid more efficient. While local workers are cheering, energy efficiency advocates say it's investing in old technology. Pittsburgh-area students had a special day to compose songs and poems and create art all about birds. Construction on the first section of 53 miles of trails in central Pa. is set to begin. Plus, we answer questions from adults and kids about the upcoming solar eclipse.

We have news about federal funds to clean up abandoned mineland and the Tioga River, how withdrawing water for fracking from a...

The Lackawanna River in northeastern Pennsylvania was once polluted from mining and sewage. We profile the longtime leader of a conservation group who spearheaded its cleanup. Chemical recycling plants that turn plastic into fuels and other materials have been proposed in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. Why some residents worry about pollution and safety. Plus, a Penn State professor gives us the scoop on why the upcoming solar eclipse is such a big deal. A Pennsylvania college student is developing a new technology could save one million horseshoe crabs each year.

We have news about a federal...

Companies can take advantage of federal tax credits by capturing their carbon emissions to keep them out of the atmosphere. Now farmers and others are being approached to lease their land to bury this carbon underground. Plus, we'll hear about an effort to preserve the records of a Pennsylvania coal company. And springtime is nestcam season, prompting some bird lovers to worry over the drama unfolding on their screens. A longtime nest watcher has some advice.

We have news about the compliance with the plastic bag ban in Pittsburgh, a Superfund site in Jefferson County and private...

A new study finds that petrochemical plants like Shell's ethane cracker in Pennsylvania are getting billions in subsidies while breaking environmental laws. People who live near construction sites along the Mountain Valley Pipeline say regulators won't return their calls about water pollution from the project. Drexel researchers are gearing up to conduct ozone research in the atmosphere during the solar eclipse. And, as winters have warmed, the map that millions of gardeners rely on has been updated.

We have news about Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposals for a cap-and-trade carbon program and new renewable energy standards, and how...

American chestnut trees once thrived in the Appalachian Mountains, but no longer. Now, researchers and advocates disagree on plan to bring them back. We'll also hear about how families experienced severe symptoms living near an EQT fracking site in West Virginia. The company is expanding into the state and looking to dominate exports of liquified natural gas. Plus, a peak into the springtime mating dance of the American woodcock.

We have news about yet another U.S. Steel fine, an update to a controversial plan to build near a wetland and what a transportation safety official has...

A commission approved bids to frack under Ohio's largest state park, wildlife areas and other properties. An author of a new book on deer asks us to examine our relationship with these ubiquitous animals. And a new plant in Weirton is gearing up to make storage batteries for renewable energy plants. 

We have news about construction problems along the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a withdrawal of another gas pipeline in Westmoreland County and the state is capping abandoned gas wells, while companies keep abandoning new ones.

A new report is a step in the effort to get federal funds to restore the 14-state Ohio River watershed, still plagued by old and new pollution. We visit Lake Erie to learn about invasive pet turtles. Plus, how the latest Supreme Court case about air pollution could bring more smog to Pennsylvania. And why environmental groups are upset with Gov. Shapiro's economic plan. 

We have news about President Biden's visit to East Palestine, VP Harris' visit to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Bird Towns and American martens. 

We break down all the air quality news from the last few weeks: a new soot rule, a landmark settlement with U.S. Steel over a 2018 fire, and the EPA's rejection of the company's air permit. We'll also hear about how future methane-spewing blowouts from gas storage facilities could happen because of design flaws in the wells. Plus, the search for an endangered flying squirrel in Pennsylvania. 

We have news about a new effort to bring in federal clean energy funds to the Pittsburgh region, outdoor recreation in Pa., funds to clean up coal mine pollution and m...