Environment & Science

In the home stretch of summer, is the worst of the heat behind us? Here’s where things stand in the Lehigh Valley as we look ahead — and enter the peak of hurricane season.

Four farms in Lehigh and Northampton counties were the latest to be included in Pennsylvania’s Farmland Preservation Program. The program aims to ward off development and protect open spaces.

It's becoming more favorable as the summer goes on for viewing the planets in the evening sky, including Saturn. But did you know — its angle in relation to an Earth-bound observer is always changing.

Officials came together in Easton to discuss energy efficiency and weatherization programs intended to help residents while cutting emissions Thursday morning.

Tropical Storm Debby has been flooding parts of the Atlantic coast as remnants make their way north. As a result, PA-Task Force 1 has been deployed to assist North Carolina in emergency response operations.

North Whitehall Board of Supervisors on Monday hired engineering consultant Gilmore & Associates to create an Open Space Action Plan for the township.

Musikfest organizers have already eliminated paper food and beverage tickets, and started using renewable energy sources to power tents, vendors and beer trucks – but the work continues to make the event more environmentally-friendly.

This week, Watching the Skies gives an update on the International Space Station, which is currently hosting two ‘extra’ American astronauts.

Over the past few days, Lehigh Valley residents have complained of bad smells wafting through Bethlehem and surrounding areas. Residents have described the most recent heavy odor as a rotting smell.

One of the best chances to ‘catch a falling star’ is the Perseid meteor shower. And the evening of Aug. 12 and early morning of Aug. 13 should be the peak night for this annual event.

After almost a decade with the same trash hauler, the city’s contract is expiring. Now, city trash is collected twice a week.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with journalists Molly Bilinski and Jason Addy.

Applications open Monday for the 2024 Lehigh Valley Greenways Mini Grant Program and are accepted until 4 p.m. March 8. The grants are earmarked for conservation efforts in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

A 605-pound black bear harvested in the Lehigh Valley has ranked one of the largest in the state to be bagged during its most recent season, and was the sixth-heaviest bear in Pennsylvania for 2023.

Bethlehem City Council on Jan. 17 unanimously approved $88,802 to be put toward the designs of Phase II improvements along the Monocacy Way Trail.

There’s good news ahead for the Lehigh Valley, as temperatures are expected to get progressively warmer each day this week, with "no additional replenishment of arctic air from Canada."

Orion is one of the easiest constellations to identify because of the three stars that make up the hunter's belt.

The team behind Lehigh University's "Community Mapping for Environmental Justice” project is creating an interactive map of litter in Bethlehem. Officials said the collaborative effort aims to improve the health and well-being of the entire community.

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.

The city is one of the first in the Lehigh Valley to carve out a position for a dedicated sustainability coordinator to oversee environmental initiatives and bolster community engagement.

Registration is open for the Nurture Nature Center's Youth Climate Summit of the Lehigh Valley, a free event April 19 and 20. The summit aims to engage middle and high school students in climate change issues, as well as seek solutions.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with journalists Stephanie Sigafoos and Julian Abraham.