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 grant that will help build the largest solar farm in Pennsylvania, why the West Virginia governor vetoed a bill expanding renewable energy, and why activists in Virginia think a fine for a major pipeline project is too small.
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WHYY: Drexel launches new health policy research center focused on climate change
- Why the solar eclipse is such a big deal - A professor of astronomy at Penn State tells you what you need to know to safely watch the eclipse and where to go if you want to see "totality."
- A life dedicated to the Lackawanna River - How the longtime leader of a conservation group in northeastern Pa. helped clean up the Lackawanna River, and what's next for him and the organization.
- Mountain Valley Pipeline fined $34,000 for 29 environmental violations - Virginia fined the MVP for inadequate erosion controls, impacts to wetlands and other violations. Activists say the fine is far too low.
- ‘Blue-blood’ horseshoe crabs suffer from commercial bloodletting. One Penn student says he has an answer - About 1 million horseshoe crabs a year are harvested for biomedical purposes. One student has a solution that would stop the practice.
- Largest solar project in Pa. to be built on former coal mine with $90M federal grant - The Clearfield County project would be built on 2,700 acres of former mine land northwest of State College.
- Paused Ohio chemical recycling plant puts spotlight on Appalachia as ‘prime target’ for the controversial practice - Chemical recycling uses heat, chemicals or both to break down plastic waste into component parts for reuse as plastic feedstocks or as fuel.