Environment & Science

The Lehigh Valley Comprehensive Planning Committee on Tuesday agreed to add new definitions for ordinances in Plainfield Township addressing the keeping and raising of chickens at residential properties.

Fahy Commons was named the first project in the world to achieve a rigorous sustainability certification for buildings that reward projects for more energy than they use. The 20,000-square-foot, three-floor building cost $13.2 million and opened to students last January.

This year, Earth Day falls on April 22. But for Lehigh Valley businesses that embrace more sustainable efforts, no matter the cost, it's just another typical Monday.

“Public Participation, Public Power: A Community Guide to Local Land Use Decision-Making in Pennsylvania" was released Monday. The almost-100-page guide includes explanations of state and local land use laws and more.

WLVR’s Brad Klein reviews the week’s astronomical highlights with Bethlehem’s ‘Backyard Astronomy Guy,’ Marty McGuire. This week, Brad and Marty discuss Tuesday’s full moon. It’s known as the ‘Pink Moon’.

A new outdoor air quality monitoring project is coming to Allentown this summer. The data collected through the initiative, officials said, will help inform decision-making to improve residents’ health in the city, known for its poor air quality.

This year’s Lehigh Valley Sustainability Summit was held Friday morning at The Club at Twin Lakes. Officials discussed upcoming projects, as well as efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, Megan is joined by Tom Shortell and Molly Bilinski.

Northampton County Conservation District held its annual Envirothon, where students go head-to-head in immersive challenges in the soil, mud, and woods — competing for hundreds of dollars. Teachers say it's special because it gets kids off their phones and experiencing the natural world, and each other.

The spring migration count at Hawk Mountain has begun. It runs through May 15.

More than three dozen law enforcement professionals from the Lehigh Valley and beyond took part in the first training at the newly opened Joni Berner Esq ‘75-Expert Witness Training Center & Crime Scene Laboratory.

This month is a peak time to view comets in the nighttime sky. "Watching the Skies" host Brad Klein and Bethlehem's "Backyard Astronomy Guy" Marty McGuire review what astrological visitors to keep an eye out for as they pass through Earth's backyard.

A group of demonstrators called on Congress Friday to permanently protect the Arctic from drilling, as well as drum up support from Lehigh Valley residents.

“Creating a Micro-Forest: A Step by Step Guide" is available free on the city's website. Officials said it's a tool to help municipalities, schools or other organizations interested in building a micro-forest.

A wind advisory goes into effect at 10 a.m. Friday for much of eastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey, as strong westerly winds sweep through the region.

A strong storm system will bring gusty winds and heavy rain to the Lehigh Valley beginning late Wednesday night and into Thursday, forecasters say, with the look and feel of a nor'easter.

Opponents of the Easton Commerce Park project, particularly the plan to move a tributary on the property, had a chance to voice concerns to the Easton's Zoning Hearing Board on Monday night.

A little more than a month into Pennsylvania’s fall foliage season, both Lehigh and Northampton counties are predicted to be at peak color.

This week, a rare interstellar comet is passing through our solar system. It was detected by an array of telescopes designed to warn astronomers should a comet be on a collision course with Earth.

Lehigh University hosted a symposium examining ways to bolster electric and water systems to cope with the demands of data centers. Getting it right could mean hundreds of new jobs — and a place leading the next generation of technology infrastructure.

Easton celebrated renovations to Centennial Park on Friday afternoon, highlighting new equipment, a walking track, and a revamped basketball court.

Easton's sustainability coordinator and chair of the Environmental Advisory Council gave a presentation on the benefits of a Dark Skies initiative at city council's Wednesday meeting.