The Allegheny Front

The Allegheny Front episodes:

• 04.19.2024

  Episode for April 19, 2024: Offshore wind energy, teens & climate action, plastic on Great Lakes beaches

  This week on The Allegheny Front, as the transition to cleaner energy ramps up, a port is being built in New Jersey for the massive wind turbines headed into the Atlantic Ocean. And we talk with the author of a...

  
• 04.12.2024

  Episode for April 12, 2023: Transitioning from coal, the Farm Bill, PFAS rule

  Will you tell us how we’re doing? Take our (very quick) survey! Centralia, Washington, has been cited as a model for how to successfully transition away from coal.  What can the Appalachian region can learn from its example? And the...

  
• 04.05.2024

  Episode for April 5, 2024: More trails for central Pa., balancing jobs and energy efficiency, kids explore birds

  Will you tell us how we’re doing? Take our (very quick) survey! The Department of Energy just finalized a rule to make the energy grid more efficient. While local workers are cheering, energy efficiency advocates say it's investing in old...

  
• 03.29.2024

  Episode for March 29, 2024: Lackawanna River, chemical recycling, solar

  The Lackawanna River in northeastern Pennsylvania was once polluted from mining and sewage. We profile the longtime leader of a conservation group who spearheaded its cleanup. Chemical recycling plants that turn plastic into fuels and other materials have been proposed...

  
• 03.22.2024

  Episode for March 22, 2024: storing carbon underground, preserving coal mining history and watching birds

  Companies can take advantage of federal tax credits by capturing their carbon emissions to keep them out of the atmosphere. Now farmers and others are being approached to lease their land to bury this carbon underground. Plus, we'll hear about...

  
• 03.15.2024

  Episode for March 15, 2024: Ethane crackers, Shapiro's renewable energy standards, USDA's planting map

  A new study finds that petrochemical plants like Shell's ethane cracker in Pennsylvania are getting billions in subsidies while breaking environmental laws. People who live near construction sites along the Mountain Valley Pipeline say regulators won't return their calls about...

  
• 03.08.2024

  Episode for March 8, 2024: Restoring American chestnuts and fracking in WV

  American chestnut trees once thrived in the Appalachian Mountains, but no longer. Now, researchers and advocates disagree on plan to bring them back. We’ll also hear about how families experienced severe symptoms living near an EQT fracking site in West...

  
• 03.01.2024

  Episode for March 1, 2023: Fracking Ohio's parks, our relationship with deer, pipeline problems

  A commission approved bids to frack under Ohio's largest state park, wildlife areas and other properties. An author of a new book on deer asks us to examine our relationship with these ubiquitous animals. And a new plant in Weirton is...

  
• 02.23.2024

  February 23, 2024: Ohio River, Lake Erie Turtles, SCOTUS air quality case

  A new report is a step in the effort to get federal funds to restore the 14-state Ohio River watershed, still plagued by old and new pollution. We visit Lake Erie to learn about invasive pet turtles. Plus, how the...

  
• 02.16.2024

  Episode for February 16, 2024

  We break down all the air quality news from the last few weeks: a new soot rule, a landmark settlement with U.S. Steel over a 2018 fire, and the EPA's rejection of the company's air permit. We'll also hear about...

  
• 02.09.2024

  Episode for February 9, 2024

  Some residents of East Palestine want the EPA to test for contamination in their homes, but the EPA says it won’t. We ask why not. Our reporters discuss what they learned in our investigation into the public health and environmental...

  
• 02.02.2024

  Episode for February 2, 2024

  After last year's train derailment in East Palestine, a local stream remains contaminated. We'll examine why residents living about the polluted water are still concerned. We talk with a Pennsylvania resident just over the Ohio border who decided not to...

  
• 01.26.2024

  Episode for January 26, 2024

  East Palestine, Ohio, is not the same place it was a year ago. Last February, a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed there, near the Pennsylvania border, close to people's homes and businesses. Then, a few days later, 900,000...

  
• 01.19.2024

  Episode for January 19, 2024

  Since the East Palestine train derailment, local fire companies and first responders are looking at their own resources and training, and how they can prepare for the next derailment or environmental disaster. A new study looks at whether fossil fuel...

  
• 01.12.2024

  Episode for January 12, 2024

  Sometimes a highway map or an app isn’t detailed enough for outdoor explorers. So, a State College company created a new map featuring Pennsylvania's parks, forests, and hiking trails. Also, it's the final week of voting for Pennsylvania's River of...

  
• 01.05.2024

  Episode for January 5, 2024

  New federal rules for hydrogen projects aim to ensure tax credits go to clean hydrogen production, but some Pennsylvania lawmakers aren’t happy. We’ll also hear about how railway workers and safety advocates are pushing for new solutions to prevent derailments...

  
• 12.29.2023

  Episode for December 29, 2023

  This week on The Allegheny Front, a look back at stories from 2023. We'll revisit a story about how people in East Palestine, Ohio are working through their anxiety with few mental health resources available after the Norfolk Southern train...

  
• 12.22.2023

  Episode for December 22, 2023

  Plants can make music, with a little help from a device that captures electric impulses. This week, we'll hear some of the beautiful music they can make. We'll also learn about an urban farmer who created a children’s book about...

  
• 12.15.2023

  Episode for December 15, 2023

  For the first time, health was a focus at the UN climate conference and advocates were pleased. We'll also learn how climate-related weather like flash floods and extreme heat impact people experiencing homelessness. Plus, people who live near a proposed...

  
• 12.08.2023

  Episode for December 8, 2023

  As the timeline for meaningful action on reducing carbon emissions grows shorter, how is the transition to cleaner forms of energy going? And as climate change creates more intense storms, Pennsylvania wants to make it easier for more residents to...

  
• 12.01.2023

  Episode for December 1, 2023

  Governor Josh Shapiro is appealing a court decision that stopped Pennsylania from joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. We'll find out why and what it means for climate action. As more solar projects are planned in rural areas, farmers are...

  
• 11.21.2023

  Episode for November 24, 2023

  It's Thanksgiving week, our favorite holiday at The Allegheny Front. (Well, one of them at least). This week, we give you tips for not creating the food waste that is cooking the planet and tell you about a pilot program...

  
• 11.17.2023

  Episode for November 17, 2023

  For years, residents in Westmoreland County complained about a hazardous waste landfill. Now, federal investigators say it may be breaking several laws. Plus, despite dozens of protestors, an Ohio commission approved fracking in state parks and wildlife areas. We also...

  
• 11.10.2023

  Episode for November 10, 2023

  Environmental groups protested outside of a coal and steel conference in Pittsburgh this week. We visit the first farm in Allegheny County to take advantage of a rule change that allows small farms to be preserved. A newly renovated passive...

  
• 11.03.2023

  Episode for November 3, 2023

  U.S. Steel unveiled two battery-powered locomotives it will use at its plants outside of Pittsburgh. It’s a small step to reduce the carbon footprint of one of the top greenhouse gas polluters in Pa. We’ll also hear about the legacy...

  
• 10.27.2023

  Episode for October27, 2023

  The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is looking to educate the public about the problems invasive plants cause to local ecosystems and why using native species in gardens and yards is so important. We talk with Fernando Treviño, DEP's head...

  
• 10.20.2023

  Episode for October 20, 2023

  Insurance premiums could rise as more severe storms cause downed trees and dump water on Pennsylvania. We’ll also hear about a series of public meetings to learn about the health impacts of the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio....

  
• 10.12.2023

  Episode for October 13, 2023

  Eight months after the train derailment and toxic chemical spill, some residents of East Palestine are still living away from home because they fear for their health. We'll also hear how deer are grazing on young trees and native plants...

  
• 10.06.2023

  Episode for October 6, 2023

  A group of doctors at UPMC pushed the Pittsburgh hospital system to do things like reduce waste and switch chemicals. Now the effort is gaining momentum. We’ll also talk with climatologist Michael E. Mann about his new book that looks...

  
• 09.29.2023

  Episode for September 29, 2023

  A second injection well to dispose of fracking waste was approved in a Pittsburgh suburb, but many residents are unhappy with the decision. Also, a new study looks at how climate change has impacted poison ivy in Pennsylvania using museum...

  
• 09.22.2023

  Episode for September 22, 2023

  At a contentious meeting, an Ohio commission delayed a vote to approve fracking under state parks. A production about fossil fuel extraction is headed to western Pennsylvania. “Ezell, Ballad of a Land Man” delves into the complex issues of fracking...

  
• 09.15.2023

  Episode for September 15, 2023

  Groups say proposals to use fracked natural gas to produce hydrogen in Western Pennsylvania pose health and climate risks. An investigation in Ohio alleges that many people whose names are on public comments in favor of fracking in state parks...

  
• 09.08.2023

  Episode for September 8, 2023

  Invasive snails have gained a foothold in Pennsylvania, crowding out native species. We join a team surveying Lake Erie for mysterysnails.  We talk to people dealing with the latest summer heat wave about their thoughts on climate change.  And a...

  
• 09.01.2023

  Episode for September 1, 2023

  A new distillery in Northwestern Pennsylvania makes alcohol from sunflowers but also has an environmental education center and the world's longest bar made from a continuous piece of wood. We head to the Boundary Waters and Canoe Area Wilderness on...

  
• 08.25.2023

  Episode for August 25, 2023

  Many people are paying stormwater fees on their utility bills, but don't really understand the projects they fund are helping to reduce pollution and flooding from storms. And, a new video series gives tips on combatting climate change through...

  
• 08.18.2023

  Episode for August 18, 2023

  A recent study found children living near gas wells had an increased risk of developing a cancer called lymphoma, while people with asthma had a four to five times greater chance of having an asthma attack. One researcher calls the...

  
• 08.11.2023

  Episode for August 11, 2023

  The federal government is considering the creation of a marine sanctuary in the Pennsylvania portion of Lake Erie to help preserve shipwrecks, but it won’t stop recreation on the lake. We’ll also sort the facts from fiction when it comes...

  
• 08.04.2023

  Episode for August 4, 2023

  We head to Cumberland County, where hikers who make it to the halfway point on the Appalachian Trail are taking part in a tradition and friendly competition of eating a half gallon of ice cream. Also, we talk to experts...

  
• 07.28.2023

  Episode for July 28, 2023

  We talk with scientists who discovered that a songbird rare in Pennsylvania is now breeding in the state. Plus, we explain why experts and community groups are calling for EPA to ban vinyl chloride, the chemical that was released and...

  
• 07.21.2023

  Episode for July 21, 2023

  Smoke from this year's Canadian wildfire season is likely just the beginning. We talk with a fire ecology expert about the role of climate change in wildfires and what can be done about it. Only a few states have constitutional...

  
• 07.14.2023

  Episode for July 14, 2023

  We head out to a summer camp that helps build confidence and an appreciation for nature. Plus, we visit a farm in Pittsburgh that teaches neighbors how to grow and cook seasonal vegetables. We then talk with another urban farmer...

  
• 07.07.2023

  Episode for July 7, 2023

  Activists gathered to protest a rush of proposed drilling leases on Ohio public lands, including a beloved state park. In Pennsylvania, a program helps forest owners sustainably manage their lands and help mitigate climate change. And a project is seeking...

  
• 06.30.2023

  Episode for June 30, 2023

  Walleye fishermen Chase Cominsky and Jacob Runyan were on quite a streak. They won fishing tournament after tournament--rewarded with expensive boats and tens of thousands of dollars in cash. But last fall, it all came crashing down when they were...

  
• 06.23.2023

  Episode for June 23, 2023

  National transportation officials held hearings in East Palestine, Ohio, to find answers about the Norfolk Southern train derailment. Testimony casts doubt on the decision to vent and burn vinyl chloride. Plus, wildfire smoke is pouring into the U.S. from Canada....

  
• 06.16.2023

  Episode for June 16, 2023

  We talk with the EPA regional administrator about environmental test results for samples taken from farms near East Palestine, after the train derailment and fires there. And, we visit a Black urban farmer in Pittsburgh’s Hill District in our series,...

  
• 06.09.2023

  Episode for June 9, 2023

  Beaver County residents protested Shell's ethane cracker because of recent air pollution violations. Meanwhile, officials met with residents in East Palestine, Ohio, to discuss the results of health surveys taken after the train derailment and fires there. But many people...

  
• 06.02.2023

  Episode for June 2, 2023

  Some residents of the Mon Valley say money from an air pollution settlement with U.S. Steel isn't being spent on the public health and environmental projects it was supposed to fund. We'll also dig into state-led efforts to thwart ESG...

  
• 05.26.2023

  Episode for May 26, 2023

  If you shine a black light on a southern flying squirrel, it glows pink. But why? We dive into the questions about biofluorescent animals. Plus, we'll hear about how researchers are using a program trained to identify bird species from...

  
• 05.19.2023

  Episode for May 19, 2023

  After a coal-fired power plant closed, people gathered at a public performance to memorialize what it meant to the community. We were there. And, we talk with the director of The Incline about a seven-newsroom collaboration that examines air pollution...

  
• 05.12.2023

  Episode for May 12, 2023

  Shell's ethane cracker in Beaver County has gotten off to a rocky start, with excessive emissions, permit violations and reported odors. Now, some supporters are not questioning if Shell can be a good neighbor. And a new book looks at...