The Allegheny Front

Governor Josh Shapiro is appealing a court decision that stopped Pennsylvania 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, 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. And, a Pennsylvania couple visits 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 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 planting native species 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 on the health risks associated with fracking, with more than 120 studies from peer-reviewed studies. 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 are afraid 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 Clairton Coke Works' air quality permit, 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 activist who are biking across Pennsylvania to demand action.