We discuss what we know about air and water issues in the aftermath of the train derailment in Ohio. We also have reactions to a government report that finds many conventional oil and gas drillers in Pennsylvania aren't following regulations. Plus, lead from bullets is showing up in birds of prey. We'll hear about solutions to the problem.
Can new recycling technologies that break plastics down into their chemical components save us from the plastic waste crisis? We talk with an environmental reporter about a new government study. Also, the North Country National Scenic Trail has only about 20 known hikers who have trekked the entire 4,800 miles through eight states, including Pennsylvania. But in the farm country of northwestern Ohio, one more name is about to be added to the list.
One stop for some birds migrating south from Pennsylvania is the cloud forest in Costa Rica. But the cool, misty mountains are getting warmer and drier. Plus, closer to home, birders and naturalists oppose a new development next to a wetland in Huntington County. And, January is National Radon Action month, and that means it's time to test your home for the radioactive, cancer-causing gas.
An electric heat pump can reduce the carbon footprint of your home. We look at the pros and cons of this climate solution. The National Weather Service wants the public to become "river ice spotters" to help monitor for ice jams on area rivers. Plus, Frick Park has a new resident: Castor the beaver. We have news about new PFAS standards for drinking water in Pennsylvania, the Chesapeake Bay, and the new Pa. DEP secretary.
State regulators call out the conventional oil and gas industry for a widespread failure to comply with Pennsylvania environmental regulations. And, an art exhibit aims to give trees the legal tools to protect themselves. Plus, we go forest bathing in Frick Park to improve our mental and physical health. News about a proposed new federal limit for soot and an investigation into a Christmas Day natural gas explosion.
Environmental groups say they found high levels of benzene in the air in the Mon Valley near Pittsburgh and want federal regulators to step in. Also, natural history museum specimens like mice stuffed with cotton and preserved for decades give researchers important information about the environment. But these collections are at risk. Plus, the US Postal Service reverses course and commits to converting its fleet of vehicles to electric.
This week, we're looking back to some of the environmental issues we covered in 2022, like hydrogen. It's been seen as the clean fuel of the future for decades. Now the Biden administration is putting money into it. So, is it finally hydrogen’s time? We also hear about towns in Pennsylvania trying to get ahead of climate change, extreme weather and flooding. Plus, the author of a new bird guide for enthusiasts and beginners alike.
We revisit some of our favorite stories about nature, food and environmental champions. 2022 was the 60th anniversary of the publication of Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring," a book that questioned the indiscriminate use of synthetic chemicals and became an instant classic. We talk with a poet whose new collection explores the damage people have done to each other and nature. Plus, we look at life along the Delaware River with an angler witnessing a changing landscape.
Lawmakers in Ohio passed a bill to make it easier to frack in state parks, raising fears of pollution and disruption of outdoor recreation. We also follow up on the massive gas leak at a Cambria County storage site where the company failed to clean up oil and gas brine spilled on the ground. Plus, If you don't know a maple tree from an oak, now is a good time to learn.
This week, we take an in-depth look at a first-of-its-kind wind energy project approved for construction in Lake Erie. We discuss why the biggest barrier to more wind projects on the Great Lakes is public opposition. Plus, residents in Dimock, a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania, will finally have clean drinking water after a fracking company pleaded no contest to polluting their private wells more than a decade ago.
