The Allegheny Front

The Trump EPA ends protections for nearly a fifth of the nation's streams and half the wetlands, and proposes ending the requirement for environmental reviews and public input for all kinds of projects. Plus, what's next for air quality in Allegheny County? A look at mercury pollution in the Ohio River.

The Trump administration's policies couldn’t keep the largest privately-held coal company from bankruptcy. A new report details impacts from coal mining, while state park officials say they can't keep up with maintenance needs. Plus, living on a Lake Erie island.

A study shows thousands of lives saved from switching from coal to natural gas for power. An update on air quality in Pittsburgh and a settlement with U.S. Steel. A proposed rule by EPA would limit the kinds of scientific studies used to create environmental and public health regulations. Our Good River series about the Ohio River continues.

We revisit some of our biggest stories of 2019: 40th anniversary of the partial meltdown at Three Mile Island and links to thyroid cancer; environmental investigations involving the fracking boom; and a court order not publish the details of a sealed agreement between a gas driller and residents of Washington County. Plus, PFAS contamination of drinking water including private wells.

In Scotland, efforts to keep plastic produced from Pa. shale gas out of the ocean. Climate change means more rain in our region. Will aging infrastructure protect towns from flooding? The strip mining and flooding connection in a warming world. Hemp growers have high hopes of turning a profit...someday. 

Shell’s ethane cracker in Beaver County will produce tiny plastic pellets that can spill or escape from the plant. Will the Ohio River be protected? RiverWise is embracing sustainability in Beaver County. Plus, there's a new plan to keep sewage overflows out of Pittsburgh's rivers. A CMU study finds economic value from natural gas in the region, but also premature deaths.

American natural gas is exported to 35 countries, including Japan. But some Pennsylvanians have been forced to give up their land in the process. We talk with Obama's chief climate negotiator on the future of climate action. A longtime environmentalist gives advice to the new generation. Charge filed in a security scheme along the troubled Mariner East pipeline project.

From talking to kids about the uncertainty of a warming planet to educating ourselves about climate science, we hear from people grappling with the enormity of the climate crisis. We go inside one of Pennsylvania's most energy efficient buildings. Pa. announces studies on health impacts from fracking.