For this Labor Day weekend: An epidemic of fatal black lung disease among coal miners, a ride along with a wildlife officer and a profile of an energy auditor. Hundreds of parents petition Pittsburgh’s school district to stop spraying a controversial weed killer. News about Beaver County pipelines and the Clairton Coke Works.
LISTEN to the episode (29:00 minutes)
- The Black Lung Disease Epidemic that ‘Shouldn’t Have Happened’ - An NPR investigation into the regulatory failures — and the human costs, including to Pennsylvania miners — of a disease that has been described as "suffocating while alive."
On Patrol in Pittsburgh’s Urban Wilds - With development encroaching on wild areas around Pittsburgh, encounters between wildlife and humans are becoming more common. It's Doug Bergman's job to keep the peace.
What’s an Energy Auditor? Meet Virginia McGrath. - This energy efficiency expert has a dream to make old, dilapidated Pittsburgh homes as energy efficient as possible.
Beaver County agency says DEP should let it keep reviewing pipeline permits - State pulled local conservation district's authority after 'poor' performance review.
Hundreds of Parents Petition Pittsburgh Public Schools to Stop Herbicide Spraying - The controversial herbicide, Round Up, is linked to health problems like cancer. The school district is reconsidering its usage of the product.
Groups Sue U.S. Steel Over Emissions Data - The lawsuit alleges the company withheld required pollution data after a fire on Christmas Eve.