The Allegheny Front

Plants can make music, with a little help from a device that captures electric impulses. This week, we'll hear some of the beautiful music they can make. We'll also learn about an urban farmer who created a children’s book about how a tomato plant grows. She worked with a group of little kids to do it. Plus, an author revisits the Youghiogheny River of his youth to find some changes for the better.

For the first time, health was a focus at the UN climate conference and advocates were pleased. We'll also learn how climate-related weather like flash floods and extreme heat impact people experiencing homelessness. Plus, people who live near a proposed campground at a state park are circulating a petition to stop the plan. We have news about whitewater recreation in Clearfield County, combating a deadly insect threatening hemlocks in the Allegheny National Forest and how you can vote for Pa.'s 2024 River of the Year. 

As the timeline for meaningful action on reducing carbon emissions grows shorter, how is the transition to cleaner forms of energy going? And as climate change creates more intense storms, Pennsylvania wants to make it easier for more residents to buy flood insurance. Plus, a look at some state and federal actions that might finally help reduce kids' exposure to lead in water. We also have news about the electric grid in the Mid-Atlantic, a solar project in Adams County, polluted streams in Pittsburgh and fracking in Ohio state parks.

Governor Josh Shapiro is appealing a court decision that stopped Pennsylvania from joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. We'll find out why and what it means for climate action. As more solar projects are planned in rural areas, farmers are signing their sheep up for something called solar grazing. Plus, environmental activists from the Gulf Coast met up with anti-fracking activists in Appalachia to strategize and build solidarity. We have news about COP28 climate talks, calls for more radon testing, hydrogen, fracking and more.

It's Thanksgiving week, our favorite holiday at The Allegheny Front. (Well, one of them at least). This week, we give you tips for not creating the food waste that is cooking the planet and tell you about a pilot program that hopes to bring composting to Centre County. We also visit with the foragers and farmers who help make Pennsylvania the largest mushroom producer in the United States. And, we take a trip to a glacial deposit where bears feast on wild cranberries. We have news about a bill to address lead in school water fountains and a new historical sign that marks Penn State's agricultural roots.

For years, residents in Westmoreland County complained about a hazardous waste landfill. Now federal investigators say it may be breaking several laws. Plus, despite dozens of protestors, an Ohio commission approved fracking in state parks and wildlife areas. We also revisit an interview with Tykee James, a leader in equitable access to outdoor spaces. And, a Pennsylvania couple visits all 124 of Pa.'s state parks. We have news about the National Climate Assessment, the one-year anniversary of Shell's cracker plant opening, federal money for environmental justice projects, and a milestone in land conservation in Pennsylvania.

Environmental groups protested outside of a coal and steel conference in Pittsburgh this week. We visit the first farm in Allegheny County to take advantage of a rule change that allows small farms to be preserved. A newly renovated passive house in State College promotes sustainability, energy efficiency and affordability. We also hear about the movement among churches in Pennsylvania to help solve the climate crisis. Plus, we have advice on how to reduce carbon emissions at home. We have news about a wildfire in the Allegheny National Forest, a liquified natural gas export facility and polluting lawn equipment.

U.S. Steel unveiled two battery-powered locomotives it will use at its plants outside of Pittsburgh. It’s a small step to reduce the carbon footprint of one of the top greenhouse gas polluters in Pa. We'll also hear about the legacy of the first lawsuit against the makers of the weedkiller Roundup, alleging it caused cancer, and why toxic pesticides are still on the market. Plus, what the auto workers' strike and tentative agreement with American carmakers have to do with the transition to electric vehicles. News about a voluntary agreement between gas driller CNX and DEP to monitor air and other measures, a canceled offshore wind project, and a court decision that prohibits Pennsylvania from joining a carbon trading program to reduce power plant emissions.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is looking to educate the public about the problems invasive plants cause to local ecosystems and why planting native species is so important. We talk with Fernando Treviño, DEP's head of environmental justice, who says he wants impacted communities to have "a real voice and [be] part of the process from the beginning." Plus, we talk with Sandra Steingraber, lead author on the latest edition of a compendium on the health risks associated with fracking, with more than 120 studies from peer-reviewed studies. We have news about new federal money to make the electric grid climate-ready, state money to convert lawns to meadows, and an agricultural fair for kids in Allentown.

Insurance premiums could rise as more severe storms cause downed trees and dump water on Pennsylvania. We'll also hear about a series of public meetings to learn about the health impacts of the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Plus, we take a closer at the news that Pa. will get parts of two federally-backed hydrogen hubs. We have news about federal funds for improving the tree canopy in the Pittsburgh area, capping off old oil and gas wells and supporting green manufacturing.  Plus, a new solar project is coming to a Pittsburgh neighborhood amid news that Pa. is among the worst for renewable energy development.