The Allegheny Front

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 of lead in their blood. More than $15 million were awarded to projects across the state that protect land and restore local watersheds, and the Delaware River is the 2025 Pennsylvania River of the Year.

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 regulators to approve a new, modified plan for an extension of the pipeline to take natural gas further south into North Carolina. A new lawsuit claims for the first time that people died because of the derailment and chemical contamination in East Palestine.

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 in central Pennsylvania celebrates the American chestnut, while educating about its conservation struggles. 

Manufacturing is cleaner and more automated than when it hit its peak 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 conserve energy.

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. A bid to sell U.S. Steel to a Japanese company got shot down by President Biden. What does it mean for air quality in the region? States have begun rolling out new federally funded rebates to help households pay for energy efficiency upgrades and electric appliances. However, the programs are in limbo in Pennsylvania. Plus, Congress approved an extension of the Farm Bill in December but has yet to pass a new five-year version.  We have news about a renowned Penn State geoscientist, Pennsylvania’s state amphibian and vultures.

Our favorite stories from 2024. Potato chips are getting more expensive--is climate change part of the reason? A new book out this year looks at radioactivity in the oil and gas industry, and its impacts on workers. The largest coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania closed. For some, it's been hard to accept. We'll revisit Homer City. And the effort to build a nearly 50-mile loop of trails in Rothrock State Forest in Centre and Huntingdon Counties got a boost from the state. 

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 get federal funding to restore the Ohio and its communities. A kayak tour this summer on the Allegheny River had a unique twist: participants also made art together. The author of a book about deer and our sometimes complicated relationship with them says she developed a sort of gratitude for the animals. A Pittsburgh environmental activist celebrated a milestone this year for the grassroots lecture series she founded 12 years ago.

The general public's views on climate change in Sweden aren't that different from those in the U.S. So why are Sweden's climate policies so much more advanced? It's the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act, but even today, not everyone benefits equally. Plus, we head out on a winter tree ID walk. Also, heading home for the holidays by plane could mean a lot of climate pollution. Penn State has entered into an agreement with the PA Department of Environmental Protection over the presence of PFAS at the State College Regional Airport, and how to keep your home comfortable as temperatures drop.