The Allegheny Front

This week, we join the Andy Warhol Museum at a property in Butler County that was once plagued by acid mine drainage, but now it’s a paradise for migrating birds and art. We also talk with the author of a new bird guide that’s for enthusiasts and beginners alike. Plus, a massive new proposal to build an LNG export plant along the Delaware faces environmental justice concerns.  

It's been years in the planning and building stages. Now, Shell's ethane cracker along the Ohio River is finally going online this summer. This week, we're talking to people in the communities surrounding the massive plant -- from neighbors who are fearful of pollution to others who are hopeful for new jobs. And, how one activist is looking to protect public health while others are preparing to keep an eye on the Ohio for plastic pollution from the plant.

Pittsburgh is helping residents prepare for a rainier future. And community advocates want racist housing policies taken into account when planning for green infrastructure. Plus, the author of a new book says facing our emotions about the climate crisis is just as important as taking action.

Conservationists are working hard to save a plant so rare, few have ever seen it. And entomologist Doug Tallamy wants people to ditch half of their manicured, green lawn in favor of native plants to feed bees and other pollinators. We’ll also meet members of a garden group who are gently encouraging people to retire their lawnmowers.

We examine why the climate crisis is causing increased cases of anxiety. We also talk with a psychologist about managing those fears and moving towards solutions. And, how to help farmers who struggle with mental health issues. Plus, air pollution news for Allegheny County.

Museum animal specimens give researchers important clues about the environment. But these collections are at risk. We also talk with an author about an intersectional approach to environmentalism. And residents and activists don't think new rules go far enough to address air pollution from the Clairton Coke Works.

We discuss where the Pennsylvania candidates for governor and US Senate stand on the environment. Federal infrastructure money is headed to Pa. for mass transit, but how best to spend it?  Plus, a company wants to use water from a trout stream to frack. And a little love for plants. 

Hydrogen has been seen as the clean fuel of the future for decades. Now, a new effort is pushing for southwestern Pennsylvania to become a "hydrogen hub." A new kind of pipeline would be needed to transport CO2 for storage underground. But a report warns of the dangers of these pipelines and a lack of federal oversight. Plus, a Pittsburgh-led team documents the ivory-billed woodpecker thought to be extinct.

More cities and towns, like Pittsburgh, are banning single-use plastic bags in stores and restaurants. But do they work? We speak with an author of a book about the first Earth Day who says it was the inclusion of all types of people that was truly genius. Plus, news about RGGI, bird flu and the Chesapeake Bay.

A new book looks at how local governments have dealt with the fracking boom. An artist is giving the public a new way to look at a buried urban waterway. We join an outdoor club rappelling down a steep Pittsburgh hillside to pick up trash. Plus, the last coal-fired power plant in Allegheny County closes.

What will it take to decarbonize transportation? We talk with one of the authors of the latest UN climate report. Climate change is impacting birds, says an author of a book that chronicles bird migrations. How changes to the federal flood insurance program are helping one Philly neighborhood. Plus, Pittsburgh is one step closer to banning single-use plastic bags.

A federal agency fined Energy Transfer for a pipeline spill in Ohio. Is it too little, too late? And a proposed cracker plant in Ohio gets a critical permit. Plus, how fire is helping create new habitat for an imperiled songbird. We have tips on what to do if an invasive jumping worm is invading your garden.   

A proposed rule would limit 2 PFAS chemicals, linked to a long list of health problems, in drinking water in Pennsylvania. An outbreak of avian flu in Pa. could threaten poultry flocks, big and small. An artist gives her view of the Delaware River. Plus, more fines for U.S. Steel and a leak at Shell’s ethane cracker.

We take an electric car for a trial run and answer your questions. Pennsylvania sets a PFAS limit for drinking water. And a birding advocate wants to make outdoor spaces more accessible and equitable for all. Plus, a fed-up pipeline activist is running for governor.

New glass recycling dropoff locations opened in Allegheny County. We look at why some municipalities don’t recycle glass at the curb. And, we talk to a longtime environmental leader about her career and why she’s still hopeful. Plus, more fines for U.S. Steel.