Allegheny Front

04/21/2025

President Trump ordered 400 federal agency heads to scour for regulations to repeal, and do so without public notice or comment. Can he do that?

The Allegheny Front's Julie Grant talks with Jody Freeman of Harvard's Environmental and Energy Law Program.

President Trump ordered 400 federal agencies to scour for regulations to repeal, and to do so without public notice or comment.

04/19/2025

Don't miss our latest podcast episode:

President Trump gave coal-fired power plants an extension on complying with new mercury standards, including several in Pennsylvania.

The Trump administration is looking to roll back many other climate and environmental regulations faster than the normal process of appealing these rules allows.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is taking a closer look at the invasive plants.

Pennsylvania DEP has begun its annual Black Fly Suppression Program.

Camping reservations are up at Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests.

President Trump signed an executive order giving coal power plants an extension on complying with new pollution standards. 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....

04/18/2025

Earlier this month, the Trump administration granted dozens of coal-fired power plants exemptions from new regulations for mercury and other air pollutants. The order gives plants a two-year reprieve from meeting the new standards, which were set to go into force in 2027. The administration can renew the extensions at a later date.

The exemptions were supported by the grid operator for the mid-Atlantic region, which is bracing for an oncoming rush of demand for artificial intelligence computing.

04/17/2025

The EPA announced that it plans to finalize new water quality standards that aim to protect fish in a portion of the Delaware River..

Some fish traveling the river between Philadelphia, South Jersey and Wilmington struggle to survive and thrive due to low dissolved oxygen levels caused by ammonia discharges from wastewater facilities.

Parts of the Delaware River have low dissolved oxygen levels caused by ammonia discharges from wastewater facilities.

04/17/2025

Writer and photographer Tim Palmer returns to a subject he knows well in his new book, "Watching the River Run: A Photographic Journey Down the Youghiogheny."

"I looked around me and listened to that sound and smelled the sweet Appalachian air and I knew somehow deep in my bones, it was perfect for the simple reason it had been left alone. It was natural."

Writer, photographer Tim Palmer returns to a subject he knows well in his new book, "Watching the River Run: A Photographic Journey Down the Youghiogheny.

04/11/2025

President Donald Trump signed four executive orders on Tuesday to reinvigorate the country’s coal mining industry. Coal supporters and environmentalists weigh in.

President Donald Trump signed four executive orders on Tuesday to reinvigorate the country’s coal mining industry.

04/10/2025

The emergency declaration will make it easier to cut for more timber from national forests as some regulations like endangered species protections and public challenges are curtailed.

The declaration will make it easier to log national forests as some regulations like endangered species protections and public challenges are curtailed.

04/10/2025

A bill in the Pennsylvania legislature to accept millions of federal dollars for solar projects for low-income families has suddenly put the state’s solar industry on edge, because of an amendment they worry will upend net metering.

A bill in the Pennsylvania legislature to accept millions of federal dollars for solar projects for low-income families has suddenly put the state’s solar industry on edge, because of an amendment they worry will upend net-metering.

03/28/2025

An organizer of this weekend's Pittsburgh Youth for Climate Action Summit says it gives her hope to be involved with a group who cares about climate change. Read more about what it means to be a youth activist in today's world.

An organizer of the upcoming Pittsburgh Youth for Climate Action Summit says it gives her hope to be involved with a group who cares about climate change.

03/28/2025

The 31 rules EPA now wants to roll back were put in place to protect human health and the environment. How will environmental groups push back on the EPA's new deregulatory agenda?

We talk with EarthJustice's Patrice Simms who says they "have deep expertise in the science and the law, and we’ll be making sure that whatever decisions are coming from EPA over this period of time, that they’re in full compliance with the law. And if they’re not, we will challenge those decisions in court."

Many of the rules were put in place to protect health and the environment. How will groups push back on the EPA's new deregulatory agenda?

03/27/2025

Ongoing lawsuits against the Trump administration over hundreds of millions of federal dollars to plug old oil and gas wells are creating uncertainty. Pennsylvania could receive as much as $400 million over the next decade.

Abandoned wells leak methane, let toxic substances flow into groundwater, allow people to fall in, or some combination of all of those risks. A state agency estimates that there could be over 300,000 in total, and some academics say the number could be as high as 750,000.

Ongoing lawsuits against the Trump administration over hundreds of millions of federal dollars to plug old oil and gas wells are creating uncertainty.

03/27/2025

Thousands of farmers and small rural businesses remain in limbo as USDA demands grant rewrites favoring fossil fuels over renewables. In Pennsylvania, that's 428 grants totaling more than $70 million.

“These are real people, real farmers and real organizations whose projects have impacts on communities who are left with this horrible situation with no idea of when it will end.”

Thousands of farmers and small rural businesses remain in limbo as USDA demands grant rewrites favoring fossil fuels over renewables.

03/26/2025

Governor Josh Shapiro says Pennsylvania will appeal a decision by USDA to end a $13 million contract for the state’s farmers and food banks. In a letter to Pennsylvania terminating the contract, USDA said the program no longer
aligns with the federal government's priorities.

Governor Josh Shapiro says Pennsylvania will appeal a decision by USDA to end a $13 million contract for the state’s farmers and food banks.

03/24/2025

A few years ago, Pennsylvania gave Shell the largest tax credit in state history to build its massive petrochemical plant in Beaver County. The company may already be thinking about selling the ethane cracker.

03/18/2025

A bill to allow the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority to access $156 million it was awarded last year through the federal Solar for All program passed in a first-round vote in the House Energy Committee.

A bill allowing the Pa. Energy Development Authority to access $156 million for the federal Solar for All program passed a first-round vote in a House committee.

03/15/2025

John Quigley, former head of Pennsylvania DEP under Gov. Tom Wolf, said the EPA's administrator's announcement that the agency plans on rolling back 31 rules was "cartoon villainy.”

"It includes trying to revive expensive coal-fired power plants by letting them release more mercury, a neurotoxin, into the atmosphere; relaxing regulations on toxic coal ash; allowing vehicles to pollute more; allowing the release of more deadly particulate matter pollution; allowing more ozone pollution; eliminating the concept of environmental justice for communities plagued by pollution.”

EPA administrator Lee Zeldin plans to rollback 31 rules in order to promote industry and lower the cost of living, not protect the environment or public health.

03/14/2025

Don't miss our latest episode:

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and a crypto mining company have agreed to speed the cleanup of the company’s unpermitted coal ash dump.

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.

The new head of the EPA announced sweeping plans to roll back 31 separate environmental protections.

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,...

03/14/2025

The Eyes on Air webpage publishes real-time pollution data from five new air monitors placed throughout Beaver County. It's run by Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community - BCMAC and paid for through the $5 million Shell mitigation fund, set up as part of an agreement with the state for air quality violations at the company's ethane cracker plant.

Eyes on Air publishes real-time pollution data from five new air monitors placed in Beaver County, home to Shell's ethane cracker.