Environment & Science

This week marks the start of astronomical winter which began with the December solstice, Sunday morning just after 10 a.m. EST.

While the penguins were taken off exhibit, barnyard birds and waterfowl at Lehigh Valley Zoo were shuffled to different enclosures so visitors could still view them.

Wind Gap will get a $130,000 state grant to help fund a new, larger pavilion at the borough's municipal park, officials announced Thursday.

Thousands were in the dark in Lehigh and Northampton counties as thunder rumbled and lighting flashed Friday afternoon in parts of the Lehigh Valley. Wind gusts reached more than 50 mph.

In its review, the LVPC said the data center proposal lacks specificity needed to fully review the project in Upper Macungie Township.

The state Game Commission is coordinating a response, which includes "safe removal, testing and disposal" of the impacted birds.

In addition to advancing the sewage plan, committee members also discussed the ongoing trail gap inventory and analysis, as well as voted in next year's chair and vice chair.

December temperatures in the Lehigh Valley have plunged far enough below normal to make even seasoned winter residents take notice.

The money is earmarked to help pay for a $20 million facility to treat water from Crystal Spring, one of Allentown’s four major water sources, according to city officials.

This week, Brad Klein and Marty McGuire take a look at Orion — the constellation most associated with the winter sky.

Neither snow, nor sleet, nor hail. There's frozen precipitation in the Lehigh Valley forecast on Wednesday — it's called graupel.

The Easton Environmental Advisory Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to send a letter to city council and Lafayette College outlining their concerns after more than 40 trees were cleared.

Borough council on Monday night heard a presentation on options to mitigate PFAS in its residential drinking supply. None of the proposals are cheap.

On Sunday, a counterclockwise-spinning low pressure system was moving up the coast. The Lehigh Valley was on the western side of the low, which meant heavy rainfall.

The Slatington-based nonprofit promotes conservation through education, research and outdoor recreation for all. Through that work, the landscape has radically changed for the better, making the Lehigh Valley a greener place.

Hundreds of power outages were reported across the Lehigh Valley early Monday following heavy rains. At least 2.35 inches fell at the airport.

Proposed shipping routes showed Norfolk Southern trains carrying LNG directly through several Lehigh Valley municipalities on their way to southern New Jersey.

Take a look at stories throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

This year's Energy and Environment Summit, led by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, was held Friday morning at The Club at Twin Lakes.

City officials in Easton are warning that a large bear was spotted Thursday on College Hill near Parker and Shawnee avenues.

The Lehigh Valley Youth Climate Summit is slated for Saturday at the Nurture Nature Center. The event is free, with a lecture open to the general public.

Ticks are showing up in greater numbers this year across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. So far, more than 700 ticks have been sent in for a testing program in Connecticut that normally would have gotten 200 to 300 by now.