The Allegheny Front
Every week, our 29-minute podcast brings you all the environmental news and stories to keep you in the know in Pennsylvania and beyond.
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Episode for August 15, 2025: Deadly explosion at U.S. Steel coke plant
08/15/2025
Episode for August 15, 2025: Deadly explosion at U.S. Steel coke plant
An explosion at a U.S. Steel coke plant outside of Pittsburgh killed two workers and sent 10 to the hospital. We'll hear a worker's first-hand account of the incident and what nearby residents in the Mon River valley are saying. The plant has a history of maintenance problems, explosions, and environmental violations. Climate change is making it harder to keep invasive plants away from recreational trails in Pennsylvania. Volunteers are working to make trail systems more climate resilient. The Environmental Protection Agency has canceled a $7 billion Biden-era program to build rooftop solar. Freshwater managers are warning that the millions of gallons of water that data centers use every day could stress public water supplies. Pennsylvania lawmakers want to ban certain firefighting foam that contains toxic PFAS. West Nile virus cases are climbing in Pennsylvania. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for August 8, 2025: Air pollution relief on hold
08/08/2025
Episode for August 8, 2025: Air pollution relief on hold
The Trump administration has paused new rules that would have reduced air pollution from steel mills drifting into surrounding communities. What advocates and residents who live near U.S. Steel plants are saying. Wildfire smoke from Canada is contributing to home-grown air pollution, and what we can do about it. A Pittsburgh-area library is loaning gas-free cooktops for patrons to test out. The families of four West Virginia children have sued a Pittsburgh-based gas producer over health effects from fracking. An annual road trip aimed at dispelling myths about electric vehicles stopped outside Pittsburgh. A new report from an environmental watchdog in Pittsburgh calls for stricter regulations on businesses that send pollution into rivers and streams. A Pennsylvania state law is coming to the rescue of abandoned boats on waterways and land. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for August 1, 2025: Throwing out the Endangerment Finding
08/01/2025
Episode for August 1, 2025: Throwing out the Endangerment Finding
Electricity prices are rising, and many are pointing the finger at the new energy demand created by data centers. An energy expert on where this is all heading. The Trump administration is moving to overturn the scientific finding that greenhouse gases are bad for public health. A Washington County gas company is facing criminal charges for a massive leak at a gas storage field. More than two years after the disaster in East Palestine, lawmakers are still trying to increase safety regulations on railroads. We tag along on a wildflower hike in the incomparable Dolly Sods Wilderness. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for July 25, 2025: What happens to solar now?
07/24/2025
Episode for July 25, 2025: What happens to solar now?
Solar installations on homes have been booming because of tax breaks from the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, those incentives are going away. Pennsylvania could also lose $156 million meant to help low-income people reduce their energy bills through solar power. But seventy acres of a former steel slag heap is almost cleaned up and ready to transform into a sea of solar panels. The price for energy is rising at the region's electric grid operator. Companies that mine metallurgical coal are now in line to receive a 2.5 percent tax credit thanks to President Trump's budget bill. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for July 18, 2025: Energy for data centers
07/18/2025
Episode for July 18, 2025: Energy for data centers
President Trump was in Pittsburgh whipping up support for building data centers and the gas infrastructure to power them. But many worry that electricity ratepayers will get stuck with higher bills as demand for energy grows. A new online tool helps people who live near industrial facilities learn more about the chemicals and pollutants they’re being exposed to. Clean air quality advocates in Allegheny County held a virtual town hall meeting this week to push for increasing certain industrial operating fees. Cleanup work at a contaminated former dishware factory site in Falls Creek, Pennsylvania, is underway. A new study shows that small differences in temperature within a farm field can affect how many bees it attracts. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for July 11, 2025: AI's carbon footprint
07/11/2025
Episode for July 11, 2025: AI's carbon footprint
Business and industry leaders are talking a lot about the possibilities of AI, but the technology also comes with environmental costs. A longtime critic of the natural gas industry is leaving his post at an environmental nonprofit and recommends changing laws or making new ones. A book that asks what we can learn from going back millions of years into Earth’s history that could help us survive the climate crisis. What do everyday people think about the climate-related extreme weather we've been experiencing? We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for July 4, 2025: Swimmer's itch & fracking report anniversary
07/03/2025
Episode for July 4, 2025: Swimmer's itch & fracking report anniversary
Swimmer's itch is a rash you can get from swimming in lakes, so researchers working in the Great Lakes have tried to eradicate it by treating ducks that carry the parasite that causes it. Nothing has worked, and people have started thinking about the problem of swimmer's itch differently. It has been five years since a Pennsylvania grand jury report slammed state regulators for not protecting residents from the impacts of fracking. Advocates want Governor Josh Shapiro to do more. Environmental groups will soon be canvassing Southwestern Pennsylvania on foot, by car, and by drone in an effort to find abandoned oil and gas wells. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for June 27, 2025: More energy, faster
06/27/2025
Episode for June 27, 2025: More energy, faster
Pennsylvania leaders say the state needs more energy, so there’s a plan to create a board to streamline the siting of new power projects. Environmental groups and others are split on the idea. Environmental groups in Western Pennsylvania want to meet with officials from Nippon Steel to discuss how it plans to clean up its newly acquired U.S. Steel plants in the region. Residents who live along the Mountain Valley gas pipeline are still worried a year later about their health and safety. A new exhibit at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden plays with the idea of movement. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for June 20, 2025: Future of EVs and a plan for the Ohio River
06/20/2025
Episode for June 20, 2025: Future of EVs and a plan for the Ohio River
The Ohio River Basin provides millions of people with water, but it's one of the most polluted river systems in America. A plan to clean up the Ohio River goes public. Are President Trump and congressional Republicans going to tank America's EV industry before it can get off the ground? An effort to make buildings in Pittsburgh more efficient meets a milestone. A portion of land in Somerset County, Pa., part of a critical ecosystem, has been protected through a recent land acquisition. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for June 13, 2025: Coal mine expansion, cuts to mine safety, cicadas
06/13/2025
Episode for June 13, 2025: Coal mine expansion, cuts to mine safety, cicadas
This week, the approval of a coal mine expansion in Western Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands has residents worried. Also, more than 100 mine researchers and engineers at a federal office in Allegheny County are slated for termination. We talk with Pittsburgh journalists who were asked by Australians to report about Alcoa’s mining operations near an ancient forest there. Cicadas make their 17-year appearance in central Pa. We have news about rollbacks to power plant rules, cuts to solar tax credits, a new state energy siting board and menstrual products in state parks. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for June 5, 2025: Circumnavigating the Great Lakes
06/06/2025
Episode for June 5, 2025: Circumnavigating the Great Lakes
Sign up for so you never miss a story! After Traci Lynn Martin’s mom died, she knew she couldn’t keep putting off her dream: becoming the first person to kayak around the Great Lakes in one year. So she quit her job as a nurse, cashed out part of her retirement savings, and set out to accomplish her goal. We have the story of her journey. We head to the Allegheny River for a kayak tour with a unique twist, participants made art together. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed about the environmental issues in our region. Thank you! Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203.
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Episode for May 30, 2025: River otters and mental health in ag
05/30/2025
Episode for May 30, 2025: River otters and mental health in ag
Sign up for ! River otters have made a comeback in Pennsylvania. Veterans are building a sunflower garden for a community, but also helping each other adjust to non-military life in the process. A former dairy farmer turned musician uses his story to get others in agriculture to talk about their feelings and find healing. Plus, Pittsburgh’s parks rank 15th out of 100 cities in the United States. With a hot summer forecasted, federal regulators are warning the margins between electricity supply and demand are shrinking. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for May 23, 2025: Hitting the trail
05/23/2025
Episode for May 23, 2025: Hitting the trail
Sign up for ! A new outdoor recreation area in a Pittsburgh park is meant to include people of all abilities. When hikers make it to the halfway point on the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania, there’s a tradition of eating a half gallon of ice cream. An environmental reporter shifts his perspective by leaning into the landscape. A network of trails in Northeast Pennsylvania that follows old railroad corridors is now carrying economic development across the region. From our archives, how a 67-year-old grandmother hiked the Appalachian Trail in just a pair of Keds. And the Brood 14 cicadas are now emerging. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for May 16, 2025: Reforesting mineland and environmental legislation
05/16/2025
Episode for May 16, 2025: Reforesting mineland and environmental legislation
Sign up for ! A nonprofit hopes to help landowners reclaim mineland in Appalachia by planting trees and selling carbon credits. Their first partner is the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. A bill in the Pennsylvania legislature would withhold funding from communities that try to restrict shale gas drilling because of pollution and disruption. De-paving parties involve hard hats, sledgehammers, and a lot of volunteers to create space for water drainage and gardens. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday over the state’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, known as RGGI. A southwestern Pennsylvania state senator says his new bill could encourage new investment in aging steel plants. Visitors to Raystown Lake can now contribute to its conservation efforts through a citizen science mobile app. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for May 9, 2025: The rollercoaster of federal environmental grants
05/09/2025
Episode for May 9, 2025: The rollercoaster of federal environmental grants
Sign up for ! Last year, workforce development organizations in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia were awarded a $15 million EPA grant to train people in landscaping and tree pruning, and to expand their services. But the federal government just terminated the grant. A new map shows there have been important federal investments in clean energy across Pennsylvania, but as federal dollars to support climate initiatives become uncertain, more action is needed. A reporter was stopped by police for asking follow-up questions at an oil and gas committee meeting. Also, an Ohio Commission approved putting another parcel of an eastern Ohio Wildlife Area up for bid by fracking companies. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration over pausing all wind permits. Solar power set records in April in the regional grid, which includes Pennsylvania. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for May 2, 2025: Endangered species, black bears and solar at the airport
05/02/2025
Episode for May 2, 2025: Endangered species, black bears and solar at the airport
Sign up for ! The future of the Endangered Species Act is in question. A bill to amend it was recently introduced in Congress, and environmentalists are taking issue with it. Attacks by black bears are exceedingly rare, but they do happen. How proximity to humans and our pets could be pushing some species, like black bears, to act erratically. Pittsburgh International Airport is doubling the size of its solar field about a mile from the main terminal. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for April 25, 2025: Cement's impact on climate, sustainable fashion and student gardeners
04/25/2025
Episode for April 25, 2025: Cement's impact on climate, sustainable fashion and student gardeners
Sign up for ! Cement is the glue that keeps concrete together, and it has a big carbon footprint. That's a problem for a warming planet. A Johnstown-based mining company has gotten the go-ahead to expand an underground coal mine in Westmoreland County. The site of a demolished coal-fired power plant is being redeveloped to build a massive gas-fired power plant and data center. The American Lung Association gave Pittsburgh’s air quality an "F" in its latest annual report. Proponents of sustainable fashion hope tariffs on cheap clothes from overseas will turn consumers on to thrift shopping. Autistic students at a Philly public school are learning life skills by growing their own food. Trump administration cuts are hitting small organic farmers, including freezing a project to jumpstart the production of flax. Students in Pennsylvania's Trout in the Classroom program. recently said goodbye to their aquatic classmates. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for April 18, 2025: Executive orders and environmental rollbacks
04/18/2025
Episode for April 18, 2025: Executive orders and environmental rollbacks
Sign up for ! President Trump gives coal power plants an extension on complying with new mercury pollution standards. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is looking to roll back many other climate and environmental regulations faster than the normal process of appealing these rules allows. Invasive plant species like thorny multiflora rose are damaging Pennsylvania forests. A Pittsburgh natural history museum is taking a closer look at the problem. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has begun its annual Black Fly Suppression Program. Camping reservations are up at Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for April 11, 2025: From coal power plant to data center
04/11/2025
Episode for April 11, 2025: From coal power plant to data center
Sign up for ! The site of a recently retired coal plant in Indiana County is getting a new life as a data center. Plans have been scrapped for a controversial plastic recycling plant in Erie. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to boost coal production, but it may not do much to reverse the industry’s fortunes. A new book highlights the natural beauty of the Youghiogheny River. Nearly 2,000 top scientists, engineers and medical researchers signed a letter saying that the Trump administration is decimating the nation’s scientific enterprise. Federal funding for the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub could be on the chopping block according to reporting by Politico. A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a rule to limit silica dust exposure for coal miners. Federal energy labs in Southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia could become the sites for data centers to support artificial intelligence. The EPA announced it will finalize water quality standards to protect fish in a portion of the Delaware River. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for April 4, 2025: Pipelines, data centers and rooftop solar
04/04/2025
Episode for April 4, 2025: Pipelines, data centers and rooftop solar
Sign up for ! Solar advocates fear a rider attached to a low-income solar bill in the PA House will upend roof-top solar. The former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, responds to the Trump administration's plans to mine public lands for more energy resources. The owners of a recently demolished coal-fired power plant in Homer City, PA announced the site will become a data center powered by the largest natural gas plant in the country. The CEO of Appalachia’s biggest natural gas producer says more pipelines are coming as data centers expand and coal plants retire in West Virginia. Also, some Pennsylvania meteorologists say they’re worried about recent federal cuts to the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Youth plaintiffs sought to hold the U.S. government accountable for climate-warming policies but the Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal. A group of residents in Kane, Pennsylvania are asking the borough to loosen its small animal ordinance amid high egg prices and a rising interest in raising backyard chickens. And we learn to make an egg alternative: scrambled tofu. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for March 28, 2025: EPA rollbacks, coal's future and youth climate activism
03/28/2025
Episode for March 28, 2025: EPA rollbacks, coal's future and youth climate activism
Sign up for ! President Trump is a big supporter of coal, and that’s giving some in the industry hope for a comeback. But others don’t see any future for coal. EPA employees and people retired from the agency rallied in Philadelphia to protest the Trump Administration’s efforts to reshape the agency. How environmentalists are reacting to the Environmental Protection Agency's intention to rollback 31 regulations. We talk with a young climate organizer for her tips for moving the needle on the climate crisis. Governor Josh Shapiro says Pennsylvania will appeal a decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to abruptly end a contract for the state’s farmers and food banks. Advocates say a U.S. Supreme Court ruling chips away at clean water protections. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for March 21, 2025: Fracking under parks
03/21/2025
Episode for March 21, 2025: Fracking under parks
Sign up for ! Fracking under Ohio parks is moving forward, but park visitors have mixed reactions about the industry. The ethane cracker in Beaver County has only been operating for a few years, but its owners may be looking to sell. We talk with the lead author of a new study on the connection between infant mortality and lead exposure. In another blow to the offshore wind industry, the Environmental Protection Agency has pulled a permit for the Atlantic Shores project in New Jersey. Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County is cancelling this year’s campground reservations, citing staff shortages amid recent federal job cuts and hiring freezes. To help protect wildlife and prevent vehicle collisions with animals, a environmental research group is calling on Pennsylvania lawmakers to better support wildlife corridor projects. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for March 14, 2025: Nuclear microreactors, EPA rollbacks and coal ash
03/14/2025
Episode for March 14, 2025: Nuclear microreactors, EPA rollbacks and coal ash
Sign up for ! The future of nuclear energy might be microreactors. With new air monitors, an environmental group is publishing real-time pollution data for people who live near the ethane cracker and other industries in Beaver County. How bird flu and the price of eggs are influencing Pennsylvania consumers. And, the new head of the EPA announced sweeping plans to roll back 31 separate environmental protections. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and a crypto mining company have agreed to speed the cleanup of the company’s unpermitted coal ash dumping. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for March 7, 2025: Solar, hazardous waste and flying squirrels
03/07/2025
Episode for March 7, 2025: Solar, hazardous waste and flying squirrels
Sign up for ! Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made it easier for churches and schools to install solar panels. How will the Trump administration impact the growth of solar in Pennsylvania? A hazardous waste landfill in Westmoreland County has been a thorn in the side of nearby residents for decades. To fight plastic pollution in the Great Lakes, scientists are calling for a more unified effort in the region. Residents living within a mile of a U.S. Steel plant in Braddock, near Pittsburgh, have until March 17 to opt out of a class action settlement over alleged air pollution. Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources wants forest owners to help fight spongy moths. Conservationists look for Northern flying squirrels in the Poconos. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for February 28, 2025: Funding freeze, federal workers, and farmers
02/28/2025
Episode for February 28, 2025: Funding freeze, federal workers, and farmers
How word of a federal funding freeze disrupted efforts to clean up a century’s worth of abandoned mine pollution in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced the state again has access to more than $2 billion of federal money that had been frozen by the Trump administration. While some federal funding to Pennsylvania has been restored, other monies, like aid for farmers, are still in limbo. The Trump administration's recent firings of staff at the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service have conservation organizations concerned. Faith leaders, environmental advocates, and community organizers met for Pittsburgh’s first-ever Multi-Faith Community Forestry Summit. A unique partnership between a botanical garden and a bird rescue uses plant waste that would be composted to help injured birds. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for February 21, 2025: Solar program in jeopardy
02/21/2025
Episode for February 21, 2025: Solar program in jeopardy
Many people want to install solar panels on their homes to reduce costs and carbon pollution. Now a government program that makes solar more affordable is at risk. Environmental advocates applaud Governor Shapiro’s lawsuit against the Trump administration for freezing funds for infrastructure and climate programs. While it was very cold in much of the U.S., January was the hottest on Earth. An environmental education center in Northwestern Pennsylvania includes a distillery that makes alcohol from an unusual local product: sunflowers. Also, new research from Drexel University finds kids in Philadelphia continue to have elevated levels of lead in their blood. More than $15 million were awarded to projects across the state that protect land and restore local watersheds, and the Delaware River is the 2025 Pennsylvania River of the Year. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for February 14, 2025: Trump executive orders, funding freeze and bird flu
02/14/2025
Episode for February 14, 2025: Trump executive orders, funding freeze and bird flu
Pennsylvania has been expecting $171 million over 5 years to build electric vehicle charging stations across the state. However, the Trump administration has abruptly cut off the funds. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro filed a federal lawsuit to challenge the Trump Administration’s effort to freeze federal grants. The administration is also reassigning Department of Justice employees from environmental programs. Plus, bird flu is spreading to mammals. A new report finds since the construction of Shell's ethane cracker Beaver County’s economy and population continue to decline. Pittsburgh rallies for climate action, and Pennsylvania could get its first underground state park. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for February 7, 2025: Future of green energy projects
02/07/2025
Episode for February 7, 2025: Future of green energy projects
Several clean energy projects are already underway across the county, including a hydrogen hub that's moving forward in western Pennsylvania. But will it survive President Trump’s campaign to undo Joe Biden’s climate legacy? At the second anniversary of the East Palestine train derailment, some residents were unimpressed with the parade of politicians who made an official visit. A new campaign hopes to bring more voices to the fight against air pollution. Also, in his budget address, Governor Josh Shapiro said he plans to lower energy costs for families. Owners of the Mountain Valley Pipeline have asked federal regulators to approve a new, modified plan for an extension of the pipeline to take natural gas further south into North Carolina. A new lawsuit claims for the first time that people died because of the derailment and chemical contamination in East Palestine. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for January 31, 2024: Two years after the East Palestine disaster
01/31/2025
Episode for January 31, 2024: Two years after the East Palestine disaster
This week on The Allegheny Front, a special report. It's been two years since the the Norfolk Southern train derailed near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border. Researchers have been looking at how the toxic chemicals released in the disaster could impact people's health, and many who lived nearby still have health questions. A Western Pennsylvania Congressman is calling on leaders in Washington to pass rail safety legislation. Also, Gov. Josh Shapiro touts an agreement to prevent spike in electricity bills. Fifteen environmental justice communities in Allegheny County are now eligible to receive funds to address climate change. A festival in central Pennsylvania celebrates the American chestnut, while educating about its conservation struggles. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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Episode for January 24, 2025: Green manufacturing, jobs and President Trump
01/24/2025
Episode for January 24, 2025: Green manufacturing, jobs and President Trump
Manufacturing is cleaner and more automated than when it peaked in the Pittsburgh area in the 1950s. Federal dollars and clean energy have revolutionized manufacturing, but what happens now that President Trump is back in office? Jobs in clean energy are expanding faster in Pennsylvania than the state’s overall economy, according to a new report. A climate journalist looks at the potential consequences of President Trump's first executive orders dealing with energy development. In its last days, the Biden Administration awarded Pennsylvania money to launch rebate programs for electric appliances like heat pumps and home improvements that conserve energy. We’re independent and non-profit, and we don’t get money from WESA, WPSU or any other radio station. So we must turn to you, our listeners, for support. Take action today so we can continue to keep you informed. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks!
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