Environment & Science

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.

Bethlehem Parking Authority officials on Thursday announced they were awarded the 2023 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for the authority's Park Green Program.

Bangor Area High School's Team Maroon placed first at the Northampton County Conservation District’s annual Envirothon competition, held April 20 at Louise Moore Park. The school's Team White placed second.

An active weather pattern will continue in the Lehigh Valley through the weekend and beyond as a plume of moisture surges into the area, forecasters warn.

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's Environmental Committee on Wednesday heard a presentation about two climate action plans that must be completed over the next two years to meet the funding's requirements.

Palmer Township has earned a Tree City USA designation for 2022 through the Arbor Day Foundation. Officials said the advantages of healthy trees can range from environmental benefits to enhancing the visual appeal of a neighborhood and increasing property values.

The Pa. Fish and Boat Commission awarded a $175,000 Boating Facility Grant to Northampton County for the Minsi Lake Access project, specifically for improvements to the boat launch area.

Community leaders gathered to walk around — literally — and brainstorm ways to make things safer for those who don't drive. The effort will last into the fall and involves several communities in Lehigh and Northampton counties.

The Lehigh Valley is locked in a prolonged period of chilly and unsettled weather, and forecasters say a coastal storm could bring significant and much-needed rain for the weekend.

Officials on Wednesday reviewed several preliminary transportation policy strategies for the Valley's priority climate action plan. The plan’s focus is to reduce carbon emissions from transportation, a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions across the region.

More than three dozen projects in the Valley were awarded grants, receiving about 7% of the total funding awarded. Statewide, $335 million in grants were announced Wednesday.

"Turn around, don't drown", warned a spokesperson for PennDOT. More than once today, people in the Valley have had to be rescued from their cars after driving into water that shut their engines off, trapping the drivers.

Some parts of the Lehigh Valley saw more than four inches of rain from Sunday into Monday, with precipitation still falling.

Schools are closing early and a large swath of the region is under a flood warning until at least 3:15 p.m. as the storm system that inundated the area overnight moves north.

The winter, or December, solstice takes place this year between sundown on Dec. 21 and sunrise Dec. 22

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission at 11 a.m. on Wednesday is holding a meeting at its Allentown office to brainstorm and prioritize ways to decarbonize transportation across the region. Decarbonization is the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.

Many spots could receive 2 to 3 inches of rain, forecasters warn, with areas of flooding possible Sunday night as another coastal storm targets the region.

Amid the joy and festivities, environmental advocates are urging residents to keep sustainability in mind during what can be a time of year when trash and waste spikes.

State environmental officials on Thursday evening hosted the last of five public engagement sessions, as they work to create a Priority Climate Action Plan, or PCAP, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emission statewide and mitigate further effects of climate change.

Forecasters say another impactful storm is expected to move up the coast, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to the region Sunday into Monday.

The new official map marks recently acquired land, while setting priorities for future desired open space.