Environment & Science

State lawmakers on Monday held a committee hearing titled “Minimizing Risk & Harm: Preparing for Pennsylvania’s Hydrogen Future.” It comes almost two months after President Joe Biden announced seven regional clean hydrogen hub projects, including two in Pennsylvania.

Your name can travel to space on the Europa Clipper Spacecraft. NASA’s ‘Message in a Bottle’ program is open through the end of December.

The state Department of Environmental Protection's Energy Programs Office will host five public engagement sessions in December, four in-person and one virtual, as officials work to create a priority climate action plan to address the negative effects of climate change.

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

Residents from the Lehigh Valley and beyond on Thursday attended the state Department of Environmental Protection’s last public comment meeting on the commonwealth’s interim environmental justice policy. The majority said the policy doesn’t go far enough.

Blue Mountain Resort took full advantage of a recent cold snap across the region to fire up the snow guns — and schedule Opening Day on Friday.

While plans for the site include homes, offices, restaurants and other facilities at the 200-acre East Side property, regulations call for at least 35%, or about 70 acres, to be preserved as open space for outdoor recreation.

Wildlands Conservancy’s first fall photography contest is underway, with entries due just before midnight Thursday. Officials said the contest aims to encourage residents to explore the outdoors, as well as share their interest in nature with others in the community.

The Lehigh County Authority used municipal meetings to highlight what upgrades were currently planned to Lehigh County's sewer system, and what might be needed form the local governments

The coldest air of the season thus far is arriving in the Lehigh Valley, with forecasters touting conditions favorable for snow showers and squalls this afternoon.

Forecasters now expect widespread snow totals of 12 to 18 inches across much of the region, with locally higher amounts possible. The warning replaces the earlier watch, signaling that severe winter weather is now considered imminent.

Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio announced that a 93-year-old Lower Macungie Township woman died outside her home of hypothermia. She is Lehigh County's first weather-related fatality of 2026.

Allentown declared a snow emergency ahead of Sunday's major winter storm. Enforcement efforts in the city will begin Saturday morning.

Residents of South Whitehall Township voiced their opposition to a proposed 5-million-square-foot data center near Parkland High School.

In a briefing package released early Thursday, the National Weather Service put the low end amount expected in the Lehigh Valley around 8 inches. But a “reasonable worst case” would see the area receive as much as 21 inches of snow.

EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich is sounding the alarm on cuts at the federal level he says are quietly eroding the reliability of weather forecasts across the country, from national outlooks to the local forecasts residents rely on every day.

A community meeting on the city's Urban Forestry Master Plan is slated for Feb. 2 in chambers of City Council. Residents are invited to shared feedback there, as well as through a survey.

The funding, through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Recreation and Conservation’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program, is aimed at protecting national resources and expanding outdoor access.

The developer behind the Easton Commerce Park project and Wilson Borough have filed a lawsuit against Easton's planning commission after it rejected its plans for a 1-million-square-foot warehouse on Wood Avenue.

Two 4-H state project ambassadors for expressive arts presented “Trash to Treasure — Recycling and the Art of Upcycling,” Tuesday at the PA Farm Show.

Easton was able to secure $1.25 million of grant funding in December 2025, supporting various projects including infrastructure, public safety and Easton's parks and festivals.

This week on Watching the Skies, Brad Klein reviews upcoming astronomical highlights this year with Bethlehem's "Backyard Astronomy Guy."