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 March 6, 2026: A colonial invasive species and youth climate action
03/06/2026
Episode for March 6, 2026: A colonial invasive species and youth climate action
On this week's episode: Young people in Pittsburgh are practicing climate action close to home. An oil and gas company let over a million gallons of drilling fluid escape underground into an abandoned mine during pipeline construction in Washington County. Pennsylvania agencies are teaming up with a nonprofit to study ways to modernize the electric grid. An invasive species came to North America just when the United States was forming. Why Thomas Jefferson was obsessed with the Hessian fly. 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 27, 2026: A fight for clean drinking water
02/27/2026
Episode for February 27, 2026: A fight for clean drinking water
On this week's episode: Safe drinking water is not a reality for many Americans. Residents of an Ohio town say their water tastes and smells bad, and leaves an oily sheen. But regulators say it's safe. Monarch butterflies and other species are waiting for official listing as the Fish and Wildlife Service makes changes to the Endangered Species Act. In towns where residents oppose building big data centers, zoning has become a way to control the narrative. The Trump administration announced it would rollback a Biden-era rule on power plant emissions of mercury, a neurotoxin that impairs cognitive development in young children. During the State of the Union address President Donald Trump said he worked out a deal with energy-hungry data centers to build their own power plants. State officials are looking to curb Pennsylvania's ongoing outbreak of bird flu. 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 20, 2026: Avian flu surge
02/20/2026
Episode for February 20, 2026: Avian flu surge
On this week's episode: How last year's fatal blast at the Clairton Coke Works has impacted the community there. A new study shows how many deaths can be attributed to air pollution in the Pittsburgh region. Opposition to data centers is growing as dozens of the facilities are proposed for the region and they could impact the water supply. State agriculture officials are trying to stem a spike in avian flu cases among Pennsylvania poultry flocks. Ski ballet is no longer an Olympic sport, but it's an art still being practiced on the slopes. 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 13, 2026: Forever chemicals from the airport
02/13/2026
Episode for February 13, 2026: Forever chemicals from the airport
On this week's episode: How the Trump adminstration's move to rescind the the scientific basis for regulating greenhouse gases could impact states' climate initiatives. High levels of PFAS, known as forever chemicals, are being released into streams surrounding the Pittsburgh Internatiuonal Airport. The Conestoga in Lancaster County is Pennsylvania’s River of the Year. The environmental watchdog group Three Rivers Waterkeeper intends to sue U.S. Steel over an oily sheen on the Monongahela River. State lawmakers are hoping to strengthen energy efficiency standards for appliances at the same time federal lawmakers are trying to weaken them. A group of Blair County volunteers is asking for help to restore a nearby abandoned town. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission wants people to stay off icy rivers, streams and creeks. 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 6, 2026: Where is the compensation for East Palestine residents?
02/06/2026
Episode for February 6, 2026: Where is the compensation for East Palestine residents?
On this week's episode: Council members in an Ohio town were concerned when a company planned to store fracking wastewater deep underground near their source of drinking water. The industry says stopping the operation would be government overreach. Why some impacted by the East Palestine train derailment still haven’t been compensated almost two years after a settlement with the railway company. A new symptom tracker for East Palestine residents is helping researchers document health changes stemming from the derailment. Federal regulators will no longer consider the economic costs of harm to human health when regulating certain air pollutants. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro touted the benefits of new data centers in his annual budget address but wants them to generate their own power. 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 30, 2026: Latest health research after East Palestine derailment
01/30/2026
Episode for January 30, 2026: Latest health research after East Palestine derailment
This week, numerous health studies are ongoing following the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio 3 years ago. When conventional oil and gas operators in Ohio started seeing fracking wastewater come up through their wells, they knew there was a bigger problem. January is national Radon Action Month, and that means it's time to test your home for the radioactive gas. There is a relationship between heavy snowfall and global warming. The Nature Conservancy is working to help species adapt to climate change by acquiring land to serve as a critical rest stop for increasingly rare, migrating grassland birds. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is pausing its proposal to move up the start of firearms deer season. 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 23, 2026: Eastern wildfire, fracking waste and environmental news coverage
01/23/2026
Episode for January 23, 2026: Eastern wildfire, fracking waste and environmental news coverage
This week, a new project will take on studying the risks of wildfire in Eastern states. Residents of an eastern Ohio town have concerns about fracking wastewater fouling their own water supply. As the Pittsburgh newspaper of record announces its closure, former employees look back and ahead at environmental coverage in the region. Pennsylvania lawmakers and consumer advocates blamed new data centers for rising home energy prices at policy hearing in the state Capitol. Researchers are trying to find new ways to remove microplastics and PFAS chemicals from drinking water. The arguments for and against starting deer season for firearms early 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 January 16, 2026: Powering data centers
01/16/2026
Episode for January 16, 2026: Powering data centers
This week, demand for electricity is growing, largely from data centers. Meanwhile the Trump administration is making it harder to produce more renewable energy. Meta wants to purchase nuclear power from a power plant in western Pennsylvania. An Ohio commission approved another oil and gas lease under a state-owned wildlife area. Climate change might be causing native wildflowers to bloom earlier 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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January 9, 2026 Tracking solid frack waste, making birds into bandmates
01/09/2026
January 9, 2026 Tracking solid frack waste, making birds into bandmates
This week, Inside Climate News tells us about their three-part investigation of solid fracking waste in Pennsylvania. We also look at the climate impacts of concrete, and talk with a couple that's taken their fascination with birds into the studio. We have news about environmental groups objecting to an air quality permit for a natural gas plant at the site of the former coal plant in Homer City, Indiana County, and research shows that salt used for winter de-icing is being found in Pennsylvania waterways throughout 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 January 2, 2026: Favorite stories of last year
01/02/2026
Episode for January 2, 2026: Favorite stories of last year
We’re asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing. 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! On this week's episode: Some of our favorite stories from 2025 from across Pennsylvania: A nonprofit hopes to help landowners reclaim mineland in Appalachia by planting trees and selling carbon credits. The site of a recently retired coal plant in Indiana County is getting a new life – as a data center. What impact will this have on the electric grid, and the local community? River otters have made a comeback in Pennsylvania. Trout in the Classroom participants said goodbye to their aquatic classmates. Students learn the power of farm to table. Proponents of sustainable clothing hope U.S. tariffs will persuade people to buy second hand. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for December 26, 2025: Here comes the sun
12/26/2025
Episode for December 26, 2025: Here comes the sun
It's our end-of-year membership drive! Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks! On this week's show: A former dairy farmer turned musician uses his story to get others in agriculture to talk about their feelings and find healing. And how a man has kept his appointment with the sunrise every morning, for years. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for December 19, 2025: Bears!
12/19/2025
Episode for December 19, 2025: Bears!
It's our end-of-year membership drive! Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks! On this week's show: How nature-based learning inspires human creativity. Pennsylvania is among the states suing the Trump administration over funding for electric vehicle chargers. We head out into the wilds of Pennsylvania with the people who keep an eye on the state’s bears. We speak with the author of a collection of stories where bears are recurring characters. The US Environmental Protection Agency heard testimony in Pittsburgh about proposed changes to the Clean Water Act. A controversial data center has the green light to move forward with construction at the site of a former coal-fired power plant in Allegheny County. Three Mile Island is at the center of the Trump administration's push for new nuclear energy projects to power the ongoing race to advance artificial intelligence. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for December 12, 2025: A safe place for hellbender salamanders
12/12/2025
Episode for December 12, 2025: A safe place for hellbender salamanders
It's our end-of-year membership drive! Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks! On this week's show: A new nature preserve is dedicated to saving an ancient creature that lives in our region, the eastern hellbender salamander. The Trump administration is looking to scale back federal protections for endangered species and wetlands. It also announced plans to roll back fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, citing affordability. Penn State students made a documentary about plans to build a new roadway that will impact agricultural land, and students presented projects at an annual environmental symposium at Westminster College. Chesapeake Bay officials elected Gov. Josh Shapiro to lead a regional agreement to help clean and restore the waterway. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for December 5, 2025: Fracking waste in landfills
12/05/2025
Episode for December 5, 2025: Fracking waste in landfills
It's our end-of-year membership drive! Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks! On this week's show: Drilling for oil and gas creates waste that can contain heavy metals and radioactivity, and much of it is sent to the same landfills as our household trash. An investigation into how contamination from shale drilling waste can move from landfills into waterways without much oversight. Treating drinking water to prevent lead contamination might have the unintended consequence of higher phosphorus levels in urban waterways. Researchers are working to figure out the balance between how much carbon forests emit and how much they absorb. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has reached a $3.3 million agreement over decades-old contamination at a petroleum storage facility in Pittsburgh. U.S. Steel has agreed to pay a fine in a settlement with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for pollution in the Monongahela River. The Trump administration has reversed course again on a new air pollution rule for coke oven plants. Older adults who live in southcentral Pennsylvania have higher rates of melanoma skin cancer, according to a study by Penn State researchers. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for November 28, 2025: Apples, chestnuts and eggs
11/25/2025
Episode for November 28, 2025: Apples, chestnuts and eggs
It's our end-of-year membership drive! Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks! On this week's show: An Allegheny County borough plans to vote next month on a plan to build a massive data center on the site of a former power plant. The U.S. has the largest collection of apples in the world – about 5,000 varieties. How cuttings from old apple tree varieties could have rare genes that fight off new threats to our food supply. A festival in central Pennsylvania celebrates the American chestnut while educating about its conservation struggles. Considering the sticker price of eggs, some in Pennsylvania are substituting other foods for eggs at breakfast. We head to a cabin in the woods to unplug. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for November 21, 2025: Ohio River plan, trash instruments and Three Mile Island
11/21/2025
Episode for November 21, 2025: Ohio River plan, trash instruments and Three Mile Island
It's our end-of-year membership drive! Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks! On this week's show: The Ohio River Basin is poised for a multi-year ecological restoration after decades of industrial pollution, but only if Congress decides to fund it. Constellation Energy’s project to restart a nuclear reactor at the former Three Mile Island plant in Dauphin County is getting a one billion dollar loan from the federal government. Allegheny County Council voted unanimously to approve a series of fee increases for facilities that produce air pollution. Ohio's Great Black Swamp might hold the key to reducing pollution in the Great Lakes. The first leg of a new trail system in Centre County, Pennsylvania, is ready for visitors. A percussionist from Brazil turns discarded objects into musical instruments. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for November 14, 2025: Expanding coal mining in Pa.
11/14/2025
Episode for November 14, 2025: Expanding coal mining in Pa.
It's our end-of-year membership drive! Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks! On this week's show: The Trump administration is looking to boost coal production, and one company is planning to expand its coal mine in Western Pennsylvania. But some neighbors aren’t on board. Energy efficiency tax credits that help the climate and people's budgets are expiring. But there's still a little time for consumers to act. The Pennsylvania budget deal meant getting rid of a major climate initiative. Environmentalists have filed a lawsuit to stop the expansion of a major natural gas pipeline system in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Fifty years ago, the pride of the Great Lakes, the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, sank with its crew. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for November 7, 2025: Saving bats, hunting microplastics & "litterbugs"
11/07/2025
Episode for November 7, 2025: Saving bats, hunting microplastics & "litterbugs"
It's our end-of-year membership drive! Become a member today. Our nonprofit newsroom is powered by our members. Now through December 31st, every donation up to $1,000 will be matched. One-time donations will be doubled and monthly donations matched 12 times. Another $1,000 will be unlocked if we gain 50 new members at any amount. Or send us a check to: The Allegheny Front, 67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, 15203. And thanks! The Pennsylvania natural gas company CNX is suing a California-based news outlet for defamation in federal court over an article the news site published about the company’s voluntary air monitoring initiative. A fungal disease has been killing hibernating bats in Pennsylvania. We'll hear from some of the people trying to save bats in the state. A group of seniors is using their retirement to track microplastics in streams and in the lab. A writer contemplates the legacy of the trash she finds on her Westmoreland County farm. A natural gas driller, Senceca Resources, is facing criminal charges over its fracking operations in North Central Pennsylvania. A new, animated map shows how pollution spreads from more than 9,500 industrial sources worldwide. A new study shows America's "founding fish," the migratory American shad, is declining in the Delaware River. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for October 31, 2025: Invasive fish exchange
10/31/2025
Episode for October 31, 2025: Invasive fish exchange
We’re asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing. 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! On this week's episode: The round goby is a little fish causing big problems in Lake Erie. Pennsylvania is looking to anglers to help stop the invasive fish from spreading to inland waterways. In 1960, a diplomatic gift of 18 bluegill fish from the U.S. would change the underwater world of Japan forever. East Palestine, Ohio, residents got some results recently from research on the ongoing impact of the 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment. The DEP has issued a draft Clean Air Act permit to a natural gas-fired power plant in Westmoreland County, but the state has so far declined to host a public hearing. A zero-waste saw mill has opened in Allegheny County for fallen urban trees that would otherwise go to a landfill. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for October 24, 2025: Fire as a conservation tool
10/24/2025
Episode for October 24, 2025: Fire as a conservation tool
We’re asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing. 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! On this week's episode: Conservationists used fire to manage habitat in an Allegheny County meadow. The practice goes back centuries to Indigenous peoples. High-pressure water used in a maintenance procedure on a valve led to a fatal explosion in August at U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works. A Pittsburgh-area manufacturer of next-generation batteries will expand operations next year. State lawmakers are considering how to prepare for an increase in data centers, looking to build in Pennsylvania. And potato chips are getting pricey. Is growing potatoes amid a climate crisis part of the reason? A native growing group trying to convince the neighbors to tackle yard work more naturally. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for October 17, 2025: Chemical pollution along the Mon
10/17/2025
Episode for October 17, 2025: Chemical pollution along the Mon
We’re asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing. 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! On this week's episode: Our series about the Monongahela River continues with a look at pollution from a chemical plant along its banks. There is reporting that the hydrogen hubs planned for Pennsylvania might be scrapped under the Trump administration. We talk with the editor of a new magazine about recreation and the outdoors in our region. Three Pennsylvania cities were named among the worst places in the country for people living with asthma. Pennsylvania is rolling out the opportunity to glamp in eight state parks. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for October 10, 2025: Swimming in the Mon, steel pollution regs & dam removals
10/10/2025
Episode for October 10, 2025: Swimming in the Mon, steel pollution regs & dam removals
We’re asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing. 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! On this week's episode: The Monongahela River is still an industrial river. That doesn’t stop people from using it for recreation, like open swimming. A new study looks at how climate change has impacted streams that native trout rely on. Water quality in Pennsylvania streams is being hindered by aging dams, many of which are dangerous and obsolete. The Trump administration has reversed course and decided not to delay Biden-era rules limiting air pollution from the steel industry. Train derailments in the Pittsburgh region are more likely to happen in disadvantaged communities and near waterways. Pennsylvania lawmakers have passed a flood disclosure bill to help prospective home buyers recognize the risks of property located in flood-prone areas. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for October 3, 2025: Fracking waste in the Mon
10/03/2025
Episode for October 3, 2025: Fracking waste in the Mon
We’re asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing. 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! On this week's episode: Drilling for shale gas creates tons of potentially toxic solid waste. Much of it now goes to landfills, making it harder to keep fracking waste out of Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams. As our series about the Mon continues, a project mapping the river hopes it will bring more people into advocacy for its health and future. As the Trump administration dismantles environmental justice initiatives, we hear from a leader in the movement. And, the board investigating the August explosion at the Clairton Coke Works says the incident happened when a crew performed maintenance on a cracked gas valve. Pennsylvania's state House voted to create a state-backed insurance program to cover andslides and sinkholes. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for September 26, 2025: How dirty is the Mon?
09/26/2025
Episode for September 26, 2025: How dirty is the Mon?
We’re in the midst of our Fall Member Drive. We’re asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing. 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! On this week's episode: This week on The Allegheny Front, our series about the Monongahela River continues, as we look back at its industrial heyday from a pair of blast furnaces still standing along its banks. All of that heavy industry along the Mon has taken a toll. What's happening in the Mon's waters today? We take a tour of an unlikely attraction: a wastewater treatment plant. Plans for a new data center in Springdale in Allegheny County, were delayed by the borough’s planning commission. Governor Josh Shapiro weighs pulling Pennsylvania from the regional grid. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for September 19, 2025: The Mighty Mon(ongahela River)
09/19/2025
Episode for September 19, 2025: The Mighty Mon(ongahela River)
We’re in the midst of our Fall Member Drive. We’re asking our listeners to become members with a donation of any size. Your membership will help us keep the lights on and the environmental news flowing. 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! On this week's episode: We're launching a new series about the Monongahela River. From the mountains of West Virginia, through valleys, into downtown Pittsburgh, the Mon has seen industrial growth and decline, and weathered the pollution that came with it. The Mon and its tributaries are also home to wildlife facing new challenges, like the mussels of Dunkard Creek. Plus, we'll get a lesson on how to pronounce the river's name. Some electricity customers learned they've been paying hidden costs for power from two coal-fired power plants. Companies looking to build new power plants or factories may be able to start construction before getting required air pollution permits. Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story.
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Episode for September 12, 2025: Food waste solutions
09/12/2025
Episode for September 12, 2025: Food waste solutions
Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story. Food waste is a big climate problem. In Pittsburgh, you can drop off your food waste for composting at city-run farmers’ markets. A startup is helping restaurants, schools and hospitals manage their food waste with a digester that fits into a shipping container. The easiest way to compost your food scraps might just be in your own backyard. Dozens of schools in Pennsylvania are planning to build solar panels on their roofs despite federal tax credits ending early. A new report casts doubt on the economic impact of natural gas production in Appalachia. Some Pa. residents in counties impacted by last year's Tropical Storm Debby say they’re worried how the state will respond to future weather emergencies. 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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September 5, 2025 Episode: Health improved after coke plant closure; glass recycling and a cool tourist attraction
09/05/2025
September 5, 2025 Episode: Health improved after coke plant closure; glass recycling and a cool tourist attraction
Get our newsletter every Tuesday morning so you'll never miss an environmental story. This week on The Allegheny Front, we talk to a researcher who found that health improved for residents after the closure of a coke plant that processed coal for the steel industry. He said, "There was like a healing going on in the community as the cumulative impacts of the pollution were reduced." We visit a glass recycling plant in Western Pennsylvania. Even though "glass is infinitely recyclable, which other systems can't necessarily tout," Pennsylvania is behind other states when it comes to glass recycling. We also go underground for a tour of a cool tourist attraction in Potter County — the Coudersport Ice Mine, whose owners say this summer has been their best yet. Plus, we have environmental news about a settlement to clean up plastic pollution in a tributary of the Ohio River, the restoration of funding for the federal electric vehicle charging station program and a study that says fracking hasn't been all that good for the regional economy. 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 29, 2025: PA farmers, steelworkers and elk
08/28/2025
Episode for August 29, 2025: PA farmers, steelworkers and elk
Farmers at an agricultural summit voiced concerns over how new tariffs might affect their customers who buy locally. With 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. A Pittsburgh-based environmental group has issued a formal notice of intent to sue companies for polluting the Allegheny River with oil. Several dozen steelworkers and supporters marched in Downtown Pittsburgh to call for safer workplaces. Pennsylvania's elk cam has started up again for the rutting season. 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 22, 2025
08/22/2025
Episode for August 22, 2025
A computer scientist wanted to build a watch using a living organism. What ended up working was slime mold. An environmental history book about Pennsylvania aims to include multiple perspectives. A new study says schools across Pennsylvania aren't addressing environmental hazards in their buildings. The campgrounds at Raystown Lake closed because of a freeze on hiring workers are reopening on a phased schedule. 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 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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