Pennsylvania Legacies: Recent Episodes
Pennsylvania Environmental Council
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) protects and restores the natural and built environments through innovation, collaboration, education, and advocacy. PEC believes in the value of partnerships with the private sector, government, communities, and individuals to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.
Last month the PA state House unanimously approved legislation requiring utilities to consider Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs) -- hardware and software innovations that make the electric grid smarter and more efficient -- in their infrastructure planning. As the Senate takes up HB 2223, we're republishing our 2025 interview with Jenny Netherton of the Pew Charitable Trusts and Chris D'Agostino of Advanced Energy United. Plus, PEC's John Walliser has an overview of pending energy legislation heading into the General Assembly's busiest season.
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) occur when nutrient-rich runoff enters lakes and ponds, creating favorable conditions for bacteria that produce potent cyanotoxins. In addition to the usual negative environmental impacts associated with too much algae in freshwater, HABs can seriously sicken people and animals. A new Lake Wallenpaupack Watershed Management District project funded through PEC's Pocono Forests and Waters Conservation Landscape Mini-Grants program aims to educate northeastern Pennsylvanians on the dangers of HABs and how to prevent them from occurring.
Phoenix Contact USA's facility near Harrisburg is more than a green workplace -- it's a proving ground for the technologies driving Pennsylvania's transition to clean energy and electrification. Learn about the sustainability innovations that have won the company five Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence.
Conversation with Meg Lemieur, Sierra Weir, and Spencer Verney -- the talented inaugural cohort of PEC's new artist residency program -- about their experiences learning about and depicting special places in the Susquehanna River Basin.
is a manual for postindustrial communities looking to leverage nature-based tourism for economic development. But it's much more than that -- it's also the story of author Ta Enos's journey from rural northwestern Pennsylvania to the world beyond, and the vision that brought her back home to help reinvent the region. We talk with the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship founder and director about her memoir, recently recognized with the Governor's Keystone Award.
Clean energy sources are available to meet fast-rising demand for electricity at a manageable cost -- but the grid isn't ready. Can advanced transmission technologies (ATTs) help Pennsylvania keep up?
In places like Pennsylvania, where ice and snow can create dangerous driving conditions, road salting is a necessity. But in the absence of statewide regulations, municipalities and property managers wary of legal liability often use far more salt than is necessary -- which doesn't make anyone safer. In fact, excess salt accumulating underground degrades water quality, harms ecosystems, and affects human health. We hear from two leaders of a new statewide working group that's advocating for better road salting practices, and supporting recently introduced legislation to that end.
The Higher Ground gravel ride will return to Johnstown on November 2. The Pennsylvania Environmental Council is partnering with race coordinators Dave Pryor and Michael Cook, with support from the Community Foundation of the Alleghenies. This year's event will take riders through some of the most scenic and historic parts of the Laurel Highlands, such as the Path of the Flood Trail (this year's Pennsylvania Trail of the Year), the Conemaugh Valley, and much more. Higher Ground is part of a growing gravel cycling scene in Pennsylvania, which is showcasing the value of public lands and activating rural economies. PEC believes that the more opportunities people have to connect with the outdoors, the more likely they are to protect and steward those places for generations to come.
PEC Program Manager Rachael Stark is on a mission: visit all 63 of America’s National Parks before her 30th birthday this July. With just a few weeks left, she’s off to Alaska to cross the last few parks off her list. Before heading out, Rachael spoke with PEC’s Derek Maiolo about the journey so far.
It's easy to generate excitement around building new miles of trail. More difficult, but arguably more important, is maintaining existing trails. To help under-resourced trail managers get a handle on the complex challenge of maintenance, PEC's Trails team developed an extensive guidebook and companion app for collecting and analyzing data, allocating resources, and planning for long-term sustainability. Brett Hollern and Zhenya Nalywayko, who helped create the still-unreleased toolkit, explain why it's already drawing national attention.
April is a big month for the environment. From Earth Day, first observed in the same year PEC was founded, to Arbor Day (April 25), to Celebrate Trails Day (April 26), to International Dark Sky Week (April 21-28), there's an occasion to celebrate almost every aspect of the work PEC and our partners do. As we wrap up our April donor campaign, we're sharing excerpts from past podcast episodes that relate to some of our favorite Earth Month holidays. To support PEC's mission and share your love for nature and the outdoors, please consider making a donation at pecpa.org/give.
You know what geothermal energy is. But did you know that Pennsylvania has enough to heat and cool our homes and businesses, power our industries, and meet our carbon-reduction goals in just a few years? The best part: PA's long history of oil and gas production means we already have much of the data, infrastructure, and knowhow needed to seize the opportunity AND keep skilled energy workers employed. The authors of a new report out of Penn State explain how.
When it comes to public awareness of invasive species in the northeastern U.S., spotted lanternfly is the undisputed media darling. But in PA, the big picture is both more complex and less visible -- calling for a collaborative and landscape-specific approach to management. Amy Jewitt, an expert with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and a member of the Governor's Invasive Species Council, explains why the PRISM (Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management) model is working in other states, and how Pennsylvania could replicate that success.
Three Rivers Waterkeeper is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit whose mission is to steward the region's three main rivers and their tributaries. That work led to a remarkable discovery that reveals the resiliency of nature.
On today's special holiday-themed episode, we dig into some of the holiday season's evergreen questions with a Pennsylvania Christmas tree expert, such as what's better for the environment — a real or a fake tree? We also discuss the local Christmas tree industry, its threat under climate change, and efforts to develop climate-resilient conifers that could, quite literally, save the future of Christmas.
As living ecosystems that can sequester carbon and use it to feed a hungry planet, farms have an important role to play in the fight against climate change. Emerging sensor technologies originally developed for healthcare applications hold the promise of equipping farmers with robust realtime data on the health of their soil.
In Pennsylvania and beyond, the food industry's economic importance is rivaled only by its environmental and climate impacts. Pittsburgh-based Chef Christopher Galarza has made it his mission to green up the food system by building more energy-efficient commercial kitchens, promoting environmentally friendly and community-supporting food production, and educating restauranteurs and their customers about why culinary sustainability matters.
Building collisions kill more than a billion birds each year in the U.S. and Canada. A product-testing program at Powdermill Avian Research Center in southwestern PA is helping manufacturers make windows more visible and less hazardous to birds, but what will it take to implement bird-safe design throughout the built environment?
Leaders and experts from across the country gathered in Pittsburgh to discuss the potential for outdoor recreation to grow rural economies. What can Pennsylvania learn about their challenges and successes?
For the first time since its 2019 launch, this year the PEC Public Lands Ride was a sold-out event. PEC's Derek Maiolo joins 150+ happy cyclists on the trails and gravel backroads of Black Moshannon State Park and Moshannon State Forest.
The outdoor industry employs thousands of Pennsylvanians in bike shops, outfitters and retailers, hospitality services, and even manufacturing. It also produces niche products like maps, guides, and information resources to help users make the most of their outdoor experience. We talk with Mike Hermann of State College-based Purple Lizard Maps, PA's homegrown publisher of beautiful and rugged maps geared for outdoor recreationists.
The Great Rivers Greenway is advancing its mission to make the St. Louis region more vibrant by developing a network of trails and greenways. We learned all about it from our hosts at this year's Collaboration of Regional Trail Initiatives. PEC played an instrumental role in launching CRTI several years ago on the premise that trail professionals around the country can learn a lot from one another and can be more effective in their missions by coordinating efforts.In that spirit, we speak with some of the people behind the Great Rivers Greenway to understand how the successes and lessons learned can inform other trail projects.
Pittsburgh’s bike share organization launched a new adaptive rental program this summer to provide riders of various cognitive and physical abilities the chance to enjoy local trails. We speak with the people behind POGOH to learn more about the program and bike share in Pittsburgh.
Landslides are occurring more frequently in Pennsylvania, and projected increases in the frequency and severity of rain events will only compound the problem. But vulnerable property owners can’t get landslide insurance because commercial insurers don’t offer it. A state-run program proposed by two state representatives from western PA would provide not only coverage, but also resources to help communities prevent and mitigate problems. We speak with the bipartisan team behind the bill, Rep. Valerie Gaydos and Rep. Emily Kinkead of Allegheny County.
As competing legislative priorities battled it out in the state budget endgame, one measure sailed through the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. The newly enacted Solar for Schools program leverages federal funding to cover up to 100% of installation costs for solar arrays at PA public schools -- delivering major cost savings for school districts, new educational opportunities for students, improved climate resiliency for communities, and reduced carbon emission for Pennsylvania. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler of Philadelphia, says this is only the beginning.
Penn State Extension's Master Watershed Stewards program celebrated its tenth anniversary last year. PEC's Derek Maiolo, a member of the most recent cohort to complete MWS training, shares his experience in the program.
A Susquehanna University professor is pioneering a new way to restore watersheds in Pennsylvania using old tricks from beavers. What can we learn from nature's engineers?
Last month, PEC announced the recipients of the first round of Protect Your Drinking Water grants, funded by Aqua Pennsylvania. On this episode we'll learn about grantees' plans for projects to improve upstream water quality in the Chester, Ridley, and Crum Creek watersheds near Philadelphia.
PEC staff are on retreat this week, so we're revisiting our June 2021 conversation with Amy Camp, author of "Deciding On Trails: 7 Practices of Healthy Trail Towns." Through her consultancy, Cycle Forward, Amy has successfully applied the Trail Town model she helped develop to communities like Kane, PA, winner of PEC's 2024 Trailblazing Community award.
Gravel riding is the fastest-growing segment of cycling -- and with hundreds of miles of unpaved mountain roads and plenty to see and do along the way, northeast Pennsylvania is poised to become the next big gravel scene. We look at PEC's recent report on opportunities to grow the sport in NEPA, and meet some of the people working to build a regional culture around gravel.
PEC staff joined partners and neighbors at 2024 Celebrate Trails Day events across the state last weekend. On this episode, we share trailside conversations and sounds from the Three Rivers Heritage Trail and Duck Hollow Trail in Pittsburgh; the Sheepskin Trail in Uniontown; and the Mon River Trail in Morgantown, WV.
As a clean energy technology, hydrogen holds both promise and peril -- especially in terms of local impacts and public attitudes. With DoE-funded regional hydrogen hubs coming to Pennsylvania, how can we ensure community voices are heard and their needs are met? Researchers from the Energy Futures Initiative recently took the public's temperature and found people across the country broadly willing to engage on the subject. On this episode, we explore the social dimension of hydrogen hubs via a panel discussion at last month's gathering of the Southwest Pennsylvania Decarbonization Forum co-hosted by PEC.
As Pennsylvania goes after hundreds of millions of Climate Pollution Reduction Grant dollars, a conversation with the architect of RISE-PA, the Department of Environmental Protection's plan to decarbonize heavy industry and other major sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the Commonwealth. Our guest, DEP's Louie Krak, is part of a special team within the Shapiro Administration tasked with making the most of unprecedented federal funding opportunities.
Climate change threatens the survival of two thirds of all North American bird species. But the massive buildout of power transmission infrastructure needed to support a zero-carbon energy system also poses a threat to birds -- especially in Pennsylvania, which exports more electricity than any other state. How can we scale up the grid while minimizing impacts on our feathered friends? A new report from the National Audubon Society has answers.
On this episode we get to know PEC's new president, Tom Gilbert, who started in January. A native Pennsylvanian, Tom has led successful campaigns for open space preservation and clean energy policy in New Jersey, where he served as co-Executive Director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.
Oil and gas producing states have two years to bring their regulations up to newly finalized EPA standards, including stricter inspection and repair requirements, to stop leaks and intentional release of climate-changing methane. Environmental Defense Fund's John Rutecki explains what the new rule will mean for Pennsylvania, the nation's second-largest producer of natural gas.
Two of the seven proposals selected for federal funding to develop clean hydrogen "hubs" have a footprint in Pennsylvania. The state has several key components of hydrogen production already in place, including huge quantities of natural gas that can be processed into hydrogen needed to decarbonize key industries. But harvesting hydrogen from methane without releasing even more greenhouse gases is easier said than done -- and the alternative, water electrolysis, will require a gargantuan buildout of nuclear and renewable energy sources. What will it take to get hydrogen right in PA? Sam Bailey of Clean Air Task Force has answers.
New legislation in Harrisburg would require the use of responsible outdoor lighting at state government facilities, something cities in Pennsylvania and across the country are already pursuing. A panel of Dark Sky advocates explains why limiting light pollution is needed to protect migratory birds, as well as its implications for human health, environmental justice, scientific research, and outdoor recreation in the Commonwealth.
The Environmental Protection Agency's National Environmental Youth Advisory Council (NEYAC), launched in November of 2023, is EPA's first advisory committee comprised exclusively of teens and young adults. The idea came, in part, from a Pennsylvania high schooler. We talk with Grace Ziegmont of York County, who helped to pitch the idea last year at the White House.
Throughout Pennsylvania's history, there's a throughline of progress on the environment and conservation that begins with the vision and hard work of dedicated people. In our final episode of 2023, outgoing president Davitt Woodwell reflects on his 30+ years at PEC with thoughts on working with partners, taking risks, and staying positive in the face of climate change.
The Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Allegheny County extends more than 33 miles on both banks of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers. The robust trail network has been decades in the making and would not have been possible without an equally robust network of people committed to trail work — including, perhaps most of all, Allegheny County's "trail czar," Darla Cravotta.
The PA Statewide Watershed Conference, held Oct. 29-30 in Altoona, convened experts and community volunteers alike to discuss water-related issues and solutions. This year's event featured artists who use creativity as a communication tool, inspiring people to get involved with their own watersheds. Just in time for the event, the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) released a report on the cumulative impacts of community watershed organizations, which are often small, all-volunteer groups that play a vital role in restoring and protecting the state's waterways. In this episode, we talk with Tali MacArthur, PEC's program manager for watershed outreach and one of the main organizers of the conference, as well as artists and other attendees.
As we await key court decisions on Pennsylvania's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a refresher on what RGGI is, how it works, and why it would be a game-changer for Pennsylvania. Our interview with Franz Litz, who helped launch the initiative almost 20 years ago, originally aired in 2019.
The idea for an 11-mile Greenway along the Delaware River in Philadelphia goes all the way back to 1995, with U.S. Rep. Bob Borski's vision for reconnecting northeast Philly neighborhoods with the riverfront. Kensington native Mariann "Mare" Dempsey was in on the plan from the beginning as an aide to Congressman Borski, and over the following decades she helped guide the Greenway through thickets of red tape and litigation to become a reality. On the occasion of her retirement this year, PEC's Patrick Starr (another early leader in the initiative) reminisces with Dempsey about the journey they've shared.
It's our 200th podcast episode! We celebrate by recognizing another big milestone: issue #1000 of the PA Environment Digest published by former PA Department of Environmental Protection Secretary David Hess. Dave explains how the Digest grew from an internal newsletter during his days as a legislative staffer into one of the Commonwealth's longest-running and widest-reaching citizen journalism initiatives.
Pennsylvania native Tom Comitta set out to create a novel composed entirely of nature descriptions from more than 300 English-language books published over the last three centuries. The result is "The Nature Book," a novel without any humans and told instead through the eyes of animals as they traverse jungles, desert, and even outer space. What does such a book mean in a world dominated by humans, and what does it say about how we think and talk about nature?
Pennsylvania could be the future site of a direct air capture (DAC) hub, according to a report from the Great Plains Institute. What potential does the technology hold, and why are some areas better candidates than others?
Perkiomen Valley School District is the first K-12 Public School in Pennsylvania with an accredited arboretum, and the only K-12 School in the world with two accredited arboretums: Lenape Arboretum and Muhlenberg Woods. They have opened opportunities for students to learn and connect not just with the outdoors, but with the Lenape people who inhabited the area before European settlers displaced them, significantly altering the landscape in the process. In this episode, we speak with two people involved with PV Woods to learn how the arboretums are restoring ecosystems and communities.
Not only will Pennsylvania's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) reduce carbon emissions -- it will also bring down energy costs, saving consumers $1.5 billion, and leverage hundreds of millions more in federal funding for clean energy. In the second part of our series exploring the latest economic research on RGGI, we consider the surprising cost of NOT participating in the 12-state carbon market.
Governor Josh Shapiro says he wants to decarbonize power generation, but only if it can be done in a way that protects consumers and keeps Pennsylvanians employed in good jobs. Can the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) deliver on those priorities? A profusion of recently published economic research says 'yes.'
In the first of a two-part series, the authors of a new study from Penn's Kleinman Center for Energy Policy explain how recent developments -- including Russia's invasion of Ukraine, passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, and new EPA enforcement actions -- have dramatically improved conditions for Pennsylvania's economic success under RGGI.
2023 is an auspicious year for the Endless Mountains Heritage Region. Not only is the organization celebrating its 25th anniversary, they're also the sponsor of this year's Pennsylvania River of the Year, the North Branch Susquehanna. In the wake of a successful River of the Year Sojourn earlier this month, we talk with Executive Director Cain Chamberlain about EMHR's work on both water and land.
With the days getting warmer and summer just around the bend, it’s the perfect time to get out on the water. Paddling in Pennsylvania has grown in popularity, owing in large part to conservation efforts that have rehabilitated many of the state’s waterways. We believe that the more people who get on the water, the more they will want to keep it clean for generations to come.
To get a rundown of the opportunities to paddle and to take advantage of grant programs aimed at improving access, we talked with Tali MacArthur, PEC's Program Manager for Watershed Outreach, whose chief responsibility is to advance the mission of the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, or POWR.
With the days getting warmer and summer just around the bend, it’s the perfect time to get out on the water. Paddling in Pennsylvania has grown in popularity, owing in large part to conservation efforts that have rehabilitated many of the state’s waterways. We believe that the more people who get on the water, the more they will want to keep it clean for generations to come.
To get a rundown of the opportunities to paddle and to take advantage of grant programs aimed at improving access, we talked with Tali MacArthur, PEC's Program Manager for Watershed Outreach, whose chief responsibility is to advance the mission of the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, or POWR.
Coniferous trees once figured prominently in the makeup of Penn's Woods, but their populations never fully recovered from the deforestation of the nineteenth century. Now Pennsylvania's conifers face a new threat: invasive competitors and pests, warmer and wetter weather, and other disruptions linked to climate change. We explore an evergreen topic with Joe Stavish of Tree Pittsburgh in advance of the group's upcoming Conifer Symposium on June 14.
Of America's ten most endangered waterways, as ranked by the group American Rivers, two can be found in Pennsylvania. While the problems they face are very different, the Ohio and Lehigh rivers both illustrate how intimately connected water issues are with human activity and a changing climate -- not just in the northeastern U.S., but nationwide.
The Pennsylvania Wilds is in the midst of an economic revival based on nature and outdoor recreation, but local leaders and residents worry their success could be undone by military jets flying at very low altitudes over protected public lands. With public comment now being accepted, we look at concerns about the Maryland Air National Guard's plans to expand training operations over one of Pennsylvania's wildest areas.
When people vote to raise their own taxes to fund conservation programs, it's noteworthy. When it happens in a deeply conservative rural community, it's unusual. But when the proposal passes by a four-to-one margin, it's a mandate -- and then some. How did the campaign for Carbon County's open space initiative achieve such a blowout? And could other Sixth Class PA counties do the same? Organizer Dennis DeMara has answers.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 will deliver unprecedented federal funding for alternative transportation by way of the Carbon Reduction Program. What might that mean for southeastern PA's Circuit Trails initiative? We discuss with Matthew Edmonds of the Montgomery County Planning Commission.
Oil and gas companies pay the U.S. government for the opportunity to drill on public lands, but they only pay royalties on natural gas that's captured and sold. When it's not worth the trouble of bringing it to market, companies either flare off surplus methane or simply release it into the operators, where its near-term climate impact is worse than carbon dioxide's. A new Environmental Defense Fund report documents the amount of gas being wasted as well as the cost to taxpayers, consumers, and the environment.
Pennsylvania's state legislature is divided for the first time in more than a decade, and its new Democratic governor is looking for common ground to govern with bipartisan support. One of his Republican predecessors found that common ground in the environment. On the eve of what could be an especially contentious legislative session, we revisit our 2020 conversation with former governor Tom Ridge.
Could Pennsylvania's underground rock formations become a reservoir for captured greenhouse gas emissions? With a newly funded soil sample storage facility on the way, the Pennsylvania Geological Survey is in a better position to find out. We chat with Assistant State Geologist Kristin Carter.
2023 is already shaping up to be a big year for environmental policy and legislation, especially around matters of energy and climate. We review the agenda with PEC's Senior VP for Legal and Government Affairs, John Walliser.
Pennsylvania's landscape is riddled with abandoned oil and gas wells that were never properly shut down and sealed up, including hundreds of thousands for which the responsible parties can't be identified, or no longer exist. Between inadequate bonding requirements for operators and a chronically underfunded remediation program, DEP is fighting an uphill battle. But private well-plugging efforts like the Well Done Foundation are stepping up to help meet the need. As founder Curtis Shuck explains, they're also exploring innovative ways to finance the work.
The Philly Bike Expo isn't just the largest independent bike show on the east coast -- it's one of the most unique events of its kind anywhere. Director Bina Bilenky explains how what began as a celebration of quirky and inventive design has grown into a hub for organizing and building stronger, more inclusive cycling communities.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission voted unanimously last month to study how electric utilities will meet the demand when Pennsylvania drivers transition to electric vehicles. Commissioners were responding to a petition brought by ChargEVC, a coalition focused on advancing transportation electrification throughout Pennsylvania. We discuss the issue with Pam Frank of Gabel Associates, who represents ChargEVC.
Starting this month, Pennsylvania counties can apply for more than $120 million in new funding from the state’s Whole Home Repairs Program. In addition to fixing up older properties, grants to income-eligible homeowners may unlock other opportunities for funding energy-efficiency upgrades, cutting into a major source of carbon emissions in the Commonwealth. Jeaneen Zappa of the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance and Elizabeth Marx of the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project explain why the program impacts more than just housing.
The Perkiomen Creek is the newest member of the Pennsylvania Water Trail Partnership. We talked to Ryan Beltz, Executive Director of the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, about the process of becoming an official water trail and the Conservancy’s other education and conservation efforts within the Perkiomen watershed.
Allegheny County recently announced its largest-ever investment in trails: nearly 22 million dollars in federally-leveraged grants to advance trails and active transportation. Friends of the Riverfront Executive Director Kelsey Ripper joins us to give an insight into the funded projects and their potential impacts.
Before most of the species was wiped out by blight, Pennsylvania’s forests were filled with American Chestnut trees. Now, nonprofits throughout Appalachia are working to restore Chestnut populations. One such group, Green Forests Work, is helping to reintroduce American Chestnuts in their native habitat by incorporating them into reforestation efforts on former surface-mining sites.
PEC's recently published gap analysis of the Circuit Trails network is more than just a list of priority segments: it proposes a whole new way of thinking about trail projects in terms of social impact. We hear from two members of the Circuit Trails Coalition's task force on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion: Eleanor Horne of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, and PEC's Zhenya Nalywayko, who prepared the report.
The Lancaster Watershed Leadership Academy provides learning and networking opportunities for people who come from a variety of backgrounds but share the same vision of healthy local watersheds. As the program prepares to welcome a new class, we speak with graduates Lindsey Deininger and Emily Smedley, and with Allyson Gibson of Lancaster Clean Water Partners.
Ultramarathoner Shan Riggs talks about his 3,000-mile run from Florida to Maine to raise awareness and money for the East Coast Greenway Alliance.
The state budget passed in July represents Pennsylvania's biggest investment in conservation in more than 15 years, including funding for three new state parks. DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn returns to the podcast for a closer look at what's in the 2022-23 budget for the environment and outdoor recreation.
For more than 70 years, the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) has worked with Pennsylvania and seven other states to improve water quality in the Ohio River Basin. In addition to its extensive monitoring and data collection efforts, ORSANCO offers programs to help people connect with their local waterways and become better stewards. Lily Jones talks with outreach specialist Nick Callahan about ORSANCO’s annual River Sweep cleanup and floating environmental education classroom.
Low-producing "marginal" wells contribute less than a tenth of the oil and gas produced in the U.S. So why are they responsible for HALF of the industry's methane emissions? A new study from Environmental Defense Fund provides the first nationwide analysis of low-producing wells and their staggeringly disproportionate climate impact.
It's easy to get demoralized in the face of climate change, especially when it feels like there's nothing we, as individuals, can do about it. An initiative from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH) in Pittsburgh is trying to change the dynamic by reframing the crisis in terms of local impacts and helping western Pennsylvanians meet it on their own terms. PEC's Lily Jones spoke with Dr. Bonnie McGill of CMNH's Climate and Rural Systems Partnership.
An exit interview with program manager Marla Meyer Papernick as she departs from PEC and DCNR’s Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape, where Marla has served as external lead since 2015. We look back on what the effort has accomplished since then, and what the Landscape’s new strategic plan says about its future.
Almost everything made of plastic starts out as "nurdles": lentil-sized bits that sometimes get loose and end up in rivers and streams, where aquatic creatures easily mistake them for food. On the heels of a train derailment that spilled carloads of plastic pellets and crude oil into the Allegheny River in May, western PA watershed groups are working with university researchers and citizen scientists to measure the presence of nurdles in the region's waterways.
In celebration of National Trails Day on June 4, a repeat of our 2020 conversation with planning architect and trails historian Chuck Flink about his book, The Greenway Imperative.
This Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of boating season in Pennsylvania, as well as National Safe Boating Week. Laurel Anders of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission joins us to explain how motorized and non-motorized boaters can stay safe on the water this summer. We also discuss newly available funding opportunities for water trail access projects in the Commonwealth.
Outcome-based financing is an innovative way to leverage markets to fund socially-impactful projects that might otherwise be difficult to finance using conventional models. Amie Fleming of Quantified Ventures, a D.C.-based capital firm specializing in the application of outcome-based financing to environmental, public health, and community-development initiatives, joins us to explain how it works.
We celebrate Earth Day in conversation with Pennsylvania-born Rosalie Haizlett, a nature illustrator who's had work commissioned by the Smithsonian and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She tells PEC's Lily Jones why she believes the arts can be a gateway to stewardship.
The Wild and Scenic Film Festival On Tour returns to Pennsylvania this month with in-person and virtual screenings hosted by PEC and POWR. One of the featured films, "A River Reborn", is a new documentary about how the Little Conemaugh River in Cambria County is rebounding from decades of pollution. We discuss the film with its director, Ben Kalina, of Mangrove Media.
In Pennsylvania, fun is serious business. Amid growing recognition of outdoor recreation as a vital sector of the state’s economy — not to mention an indispensable public good — the state agency tasked with managing Pennsylvania’s natural resources is making a bold investment in the burgeoning outdoor industry, while reaffirming its commitment to ensuring equitable access for all Pennsylvanians. On this episode, we’re getting to know Pennsylvania’s first-ever statewide recreation czar, Nathan Reigner, and his vision for the newly-established Office of Outdoor Recreation within DCNR.
Last summer, the Fairmount Water Works in Philadelphia was all set to launch its first, much-anticipated, multimedia arts exhibition, which explored how water has shaped the city’s history, with a special focus on its role in the lives of Black Philadelphians. Just ahead of the scheduled opening, Hurricane Ida hit, forcing the event’s cancellation. POOL is now set to re-open on March 22 — World Water Day — with a new emphasis on environmental justice and resiliency in the face of climate change. We get a preview of the exhibit with Dionne Watts Williams, Communications Manager for Fairmount Waterworks.
Many organizations are working to improve Philadelphians' access to the outdoors and its associated benefits. Many others are focused on food equity, food sovereignty, and public health. One group -- the Philadelphia Orchard Project -- is doing all of the above. We speak with Executive Director Kim Jordan about their efforts to transform vacant lots into neighborhood green spaces that produce healthy food for residents.
Most religions acknowledge the need for environmental stewardship in their teachings. Because of these shared values, religious organizations are natural partners in watershed work. Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake operates on this principle, working with faith communities in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. We discuss with Jodi Rose, IPC's Executive Director.
The newest member of PEC's Trails team is a veteran of the movement for safe and equitable access to active transportation in big cities. Program manager Emilia Crotty talks about her experience as director of LA Walks, Los Angeles's premier pedestrian advocacy organization, and how it informs the equity work she's now doing for PEC on behalf of the Circuit Trails Coalition.
People need plants to live. Plants need carbon and nitrogen to grow. But there’s too much carbon in the atmosphere and not enough in the ground, especially on farmland degraded by generations of unsustainable practices, while rivers and streams are full of nitrogen that should be nourishing crops. Can regenerative and holistic farming methods set things right? A conversation with Hannah Smith-Brubaker of PASA Sustainable Agriculture, ahead of PASA’s upcoming 2022 Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Lancaster.
Interest in the outdoors skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, opening the doors for big investments in recreation, conservation, and climate. Most recently, billions in new funding for outdoor recreation and alternative transportation are now available with last month’s passage of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. We discuss with Charles Cooper, Managing Director with Signal Advocacy and a Co-Chair of Signal Outdoors.
From the formation of fossil fuel deposits to the tectonic ballet that gave us the Appalachian Mountains, geologic events occurring hundreds of millions of years ago made the Keystone State what it is today. These events also created the distinctive regional topographies by which DCNR's Conservation Landscapes program is organized. We explore the links between outdoor recreation, climate change, and Pennsylvania's geological history with DCNR's Kristen Hand.
With the energy market changing, power-generation companies must reassess their business models. Rather than cut their losses and move on, Talen Energy of Allentown, PA, is looking at ways to keep facilities open by exploring other options for their plants, like battery storage and digital currency mining. We discuss with Julie LaBella, Talen’s Senior Director for Regulatory and External Affairs.
The problem of plastic polluting the ocean has been a popular topic for a while. But until about 10 years ago, no one was studying the prevalence of plastics in fresh water. Dr. Sherri Mason, Director of Sustainability at Penn State Erie, was one of the first to look into plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. We speak with her about her research on microplastics, and what it means for ecosystem and human health.
The mission of Penn State Extension is to bring the scientific and practical expertise of PSU researchers and faculty throughout the Commonwealth. But even with offices in every county, extension staff can’t be everywhere at once. That’s where master volunteers come in.
PSU Extension's Master Gardener program is familiar to many, but did you know you can also train to become a Master Watershed Steward? We talk with program coordinator Erin Frederick.
PEC's Senior VP for Legal & Government Affairs, John Walliser, joins us for an update on the climate and energy, outdoor recreation, and conservation legislation to watch in the coming months.
Philadelphia's trails took a beating from Hurricane Ida, and some will take months to recover. Two weeks after the floodwaters receded, we look at conditions along the Schuylkill River Trail with representatives from the City and the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area.
We celebrate Pennsylvania Trails Month with a preview of this year's PEC Public Lands Ride and the 11th annual PEC Environment Ride.
An aerial map of tree canopy in any large U.S. city will also give you a relatively accurate picture of income and racial demographics. With little exception, the more tree cover a neighborhood has, the more likely it is to be wealthy and predominantly white. Tree Equity Score, a new tool by American Forests, helps quantify this disparity. Ian Leahy, VP of Urban Forestry at American Forests, walks us through the process of developing Tree Equity Score, and how it can be used to promote healthier, greener cities.
There are 349 rare, threatened, or endangered native plant species in Pennsylvania. The habitats they call home are as diverse as the plants themselves. As the climate changes, new challenges will arise for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the group in charge of managing these habitats and protecting Pennsylvania’s rare plants.
On this episode, DCNR botanist Andrew Rohrbaugh discusses what the future may hold for Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable flora.
It's one thing for an environmental organization to tout its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It's another thing to live out that commitment at the level of programming and daily activities. On this episode: how Philadelphia's Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership is innovating upon its mission to protect the watershed and better serve all its residents.
Billions of dollars' worth of solar panels and other components are flowing into the U.S. from China, feeding a market increasingly hungry for renewable energy. Many are made with materials linked to alleged forced-labor practices in the Xinjiang region. As the market heats up and trans-Pacific trade relations become strained, a new supply chain traceability protocol created by the Solar Energy Industries Association offers importers a way to prove their products are ethically and sustainably sourced.
Trails can be a tremendous economic opportunity for small towns – but all the funding and political muscle in the world won’t matter if a trail project doesn’t address real community needs and center community voices.
In her new book, trails advocate and community-builder Amy Camp explains why the most successful Trail Town initiatives are built on an authentic local “trails culture” and a community-wide decision to invest in trails.
In the perennial swing state of Pennsylvania, elections are often decided by voters who don’t identify with either political party – and recent polling shows Independents have swung hard on the issue of climate. With 3 out of 4 Pennsylvanians now voicing serious concern about the impacts of climate change, what’s the political cost of inaction? Analysis from Jim Lee, CEO of Susquehanna Polling & Research, and Franz Litz of Litz Energy Strategies LLC.
Nobody knows exactly how many orphaned oil and gas wells dot the Pennsylvania landscape, but even conservative estimates put the number well into the hundreds of thousands. Every day these defunct facilities remain unplugged, they’re emitting greenhouse gases, contaminating groundwater, and compromising air quality. Their owners are nowhere to be found, leaving the Commonwealth holding the bag and largely unable to meet the costs of remediation.
The recently introduced REGROW Act would provide billions of federal dollars for orphan well cleanup across the U.S. What would it mean for Pennsylvania? Analysis from Adam Peltz, Senior Attorney with Environmental Defense Fund.
In 1971, Pennsylvania became the first state to guarantee citizens' rights to clean air, pure water, and a healthy environment. Fifty years later, the state legislator who led the campaign for Pennsylvania's Environmental Rights Amendment is taking it to the next level. In his new book, Franklin Kury makes the case for a federal constitutional amendment to meet the unprecedented threat of climate change.
For most of its history in academia, ecological studies has been centered on STEM disciplines. But an emerging interdisciplinary movement is opening the environmental field to new scholarly approaches and bringing new voices into the discussion.
PEC’s Lily Jones speaks with John MacNeill Miller, a professor of English literature at Allegheny College, about his work exploring the link between humans and non-human systems through a cultural lens.
As Pennsylvania weighs a new DEP rule that would expand leak detection and repair requirements for oil and gas producers, there's new research on the integrity of relatively low-producing "stripper" wells. Such facilities would remain exempt under Pennsylvania's current rulemaking, but a University of Cincinnati study suggests they're among the leakiest well sites in Appalachia. We speak with the author, Dr. Amy Townsend-Small.
The 2021 Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour lands in Pennsylvania on March 18, with virtual screenings handpicked for local audiences by PEC's affiliate, the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR). We chat with the makers of this year's featured selection, "A Community Conservation Effort," about Kentucky's Greenspace, Inc.
2020 was the year our relationship with trails changed forever. A look inside PEC's newly updated research on how the COVD-19 pandemic has impacted trail use across Pennsylvania, and where we go from here.
Pittsburgh's rivers made the city an industrial titan at a time when environmental damage was accepted as the price of progress. Now they're being put back to work generating low cost, carbon-free electricity -- without creating new environmental or land use impacts.
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Paul Jacob of Rye Development join us for a conversation on low-impact hydropower, and why the County's recently announced investment in a 17.8 MW hydro facility on the Ohio River is only the beginning.
All over the country, consumers want locally grown food. But much of the demand is concentrated in densely populated areas, where farmers have to compete with developers over a finite amount of arable land.
Montgomery County has a solution: fully a third of its farmland will remain in agricultural use permanently, thanks to Montco's wildly successful Farmland Preservation Program. Administrator Stephen Zbyszinski joins us to celebrate a major milestone: 10,000 acres preserved, and counting!
Which of five finalists will be Pennsylvania's River of the Year for 2021? With less than a week remaining to vote, nominating watershed groups make their final pitch for your vote.
On its 100th anniversary, a new book explores the chain of unlikely historical events that gave us Presque Isle State Park. Authors David Frew and Jerry Skrypzak discuss the book, the Isle, and their hometown of Erie, PA.
Winners of the 2020 Northeast Environmental Partnership Awards and 2020 Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards, in their own words.
After decades of struggle, Pittsburgh's Hazelwood neighborhood is poised for an economic comeback. The long-awaited redevelopment of Hazelwood's industrial riverfront has rekindled hopes for a brighter future -- but the neighborhood's resident historian says there's also much to celebrate about, and learn from, its past. Our series on the Hazelwood Green project continues in conversation with JaQuay Carter of the Greater Hazelwood Historical Society.
Celebrating ten years of the PEC Environment Ride in conversation with members of the 2020 team.
For the better part of a century, the Hazelwood neighborhood was one of Pittsburgh's most important industrial centers. That all changed with the 1997 closure of the LTV steel plant on the site now known as Hazelwood Green. Now, as a decades-long redevelopment effort gathers momentum, the neighborhood is reimagining its relationship with the Monongahela River.
We discuss the future of Hazelwood's riverfront with Todd Stern of U3 Advisors, which is overseeing the project on behalf of property owner Almono LP. Along with PEC and others, U3 is working with residents and stakeholders to develop a community-focused vision for the site.
A reckoning over RGGI, outdoor recreation and COVID, bipartisan love for community solar, and clearing a path for E-bikes: Legal & Government Affairs VP John Walliser reviews the PEC policy agenda heading into what promises to be an eventful fall in Harrisburg.
The 2020 PEC Public Lands Ride showcases some of the best trail-riding in the state, and this year's ride features an expanded lineup of routes in state parks and forests. Organizers Helena Kotala and Frank Maguire explain how they overhauled the original concept to create a safe and enjoyable experience for cyclists of all kinds.
Like humans, animals need space and the ability to move safely across it. But habitat fragmentation caused by development is disrupting wildlife migration, leading to more frequent and sometimes dangerous encounters with people -- and the effects will only intensify with climate change. We discuss with supporters of a resolution, currently before the General Assembly, that calls for action to protect and support wildlife corridors in Pennsylvania.
Fixing leaks in the natural gas supply chain is critical to reducing Pennsylvania's greenhouse gas emissions, and proposed new requirements for gas facilities would hold operators accountable for detecting and repairing them. With estimated emissions from gas operations exceeding a million tons a year in Pennsylvania alone, that's a big job -- even though the draft rule, as currently written, exempts broad swaths of facilities that other states treat as potential emitters.
Fortunately, there's a whole industry dedicated to efficiently detecting gas leaks using cutting-edge technology -- and as these tools get more sophisticated, methane mitigation becomes more cost-effective by the day. But will the finished rule take full advantage of these resources and hold all producers to the same standard?
The GAP Relay -- a 150-mile race along the Great Allegheny Passage -- is back for its third year, despite a global crisis that forced organizers to completely rethink the event. One thing hasn't changed: the sustainability partnership between PEC and event host P3R that made the GAP Relay the greenest relay race in America.
We welcome back P3R's Troy Schooley to discuss the new format and the growing movement for sustainability in distance running. Then, a closer look at one of the tools PEC used to mitigate the GAP Relay's environmental impact: carbon offsets obtained via the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) in Portland, Oregon. BEF's Heather Schrock explains how offsets work -- and how individuals and businesses of all sizes can use them to pursue their own sustainability goals.
"Every day is like a weekend day now," read one response to PEC's recent survey of Pennsylvania trail managers about outdoor recreation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dozens of respondents reported -- and counter data confirmed -- that statewide trail use had surged amid school cancellations, business closures, and stay-at-home orders during March and April. What can the data tell us about the role trails and greenways play in the lives of Pennsylvanians, especially during a crisis? Amy Camp, who helped compile the report published earlier this month, is our guest.
As the Department of Environmental Protection gathers public comment on a proposed rulemaking to cut emissions of climate-changing methane from Pennsylvania's natural gas industry, new data from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) paints a stark picture of what's at stake: current emissions up to fifteen times higher than official estimates, and projected emissions of up to 14 million tons a year by 2030. EDF researcher Hillary Hull explains.
These days, environmental issues are politically charged in a way that can make sound, commonsense policy seem unattainable. But it wasn't always like that -- and it doesn't have to be.
Tom Ridge, the Republican former governor of Pennsylvania, says he's an environmentalist because of -- not in spite of -- his conservative values.
Any way you slice it, coal-fired power generation is on its way out. That leaves two likely scenarios for Pennsylvania's electricity sector in the next decade: a modest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions with little economic impact, or a dramatic reduction coupled with massive investment in energy innovation and efficiency. Department of Environmental Protection energy advisor Hayley Book breaks down the costs and benefits of membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) as detailed in DEP's latest statistical modeling.
At 96, Thomas Dolan is part of a very exclusive club: surviving founders of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. As we mark the 50th Earth Day this week, we continue our celebration of PEC's own semi-centennial with reflections from someone who was there when it all began.
Pennsylvania's trout season opened as scheduled earlier this week, but anglers must abide by the same social distancing rules that apply in any public place. PA Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director Tim Schaefer discusses the agency's response to COVID-19.
In this time of social distancing, one of the best and safest ways to stay connected with nature is by getting to know the creatures in your own backyard -- especially the myriad bird species migrating to or through Pennsylvania this time of year. PEC's resident birder, Cindy Ferguson, explains why there's never been a better time to take up the hobby.
As investors grow wary of fossil fuels and big companies prioritize sustainability, where will Pennsylvania fit in the post-carbon economy? Analysis from Steven Clarke and Alli Gold-Roberts of Ceres, a nonprofit that advocates for clean energy in the business community.
Community supported agriculture gives subscribers access to fresh, locally grown produce without the trouble and expense of growing it themselves. Community solar does the same thing for renewable energy -- creating economic opportunity for communities, savings for ratepayers, resiliency and efficiency for the grid, and cleaner air for the planet. But community solar could also be a lifeline for struggling Pennsylvania farmers. Sarah Wochos and Lucy Bullock-Sieger of the Coalition for Community Solar Access explain how.
The Circuit Trails initiative is starting 2020 with a full slate of projects and a hefty funding boost courtesy of Montgomery County. We talk with Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, Circuit advocate and chair of Montco's Board of Commissioners, and PEC's own Patrick Starr, who serves as vice chair of the Circuit Trails Coalition.
The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) provides support for community watershed organizations to build capacity and coordinate more effectively with one another. This spring they’re taking their show on the road, with regional workshops planned for six locations all over the state. Program manager Tali MacArthur has a preview of the workshop series and more from the 2020 POWR agenda.
Chuck Flink wrote the book on greenways -- literally. 1993's "Greenways: A Guide To Planning Design And Development," co-authored with Robert Searns and addressed to the planning community, helped launch a global movement in landscape architecture. Now he's making the case for greenways to a broader audience in his new book, "The Greenway Imperative: Connecting Communities & Landscapes for a Sustainable Future."
The five finalists for 2020 River of the Year represent everything that’s right – and everything that’s wrong – with Pennsylvania’s 86,000 miles of rivers and streams. With online voting set to close in a matter of days, we hear campaign pitches from the sponsoring organizations that nominated them.
Back in January, PEC published a list of legislative and regulatory recommendations for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from Pennsylvania's electricity sector. Since then, the governor and legislative leaders have embraced one of the report's key ideas: putting a price on carbon and investing the proceeds in clean energy innovation. Where is the decarbonization agenda headed in 2020? Senior VP for Legal and Government Affairs John Walliser returns for a review of the year's biggest policy developments for the environment and outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania.
Trails beautify neighborhoods and make communities more livable -- but that's only the beginning. A 2019 report from the East Coast Greenway Alliance shows how every dollar spent developing the ECG corridor through the Delaware River Watershed comes back almost twofold in benefits to public health, local economies, transportation safety and efficiency, and the environment. ECG Mid-Atlantic Coordinator Daniel Paschall talks about how communities can reap those rewards -- while ensuring that everyone benefits.
In a state that's nearly 60 percent tree-covered, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry has a lot of ground to cover. But thanks to Penn State's Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship training program, DCNR has boots on the ground in every county, connecting Pennsylvanians with vital forest management resources. PEC's Laura England, a newly-minted volunteer Forest Steward, shares what she learned in the program. Plus: a primer on Conservation Landscape mini-grants, and why you -- or someone you know -- should apply.
This year's GAP Relay -- a 150-mile team footrace along the Great Allegheny Passage -- was the first carbon neutral trail relay in the nation. Troy Schooley of race organizer p3r talks about the movement toward sustainability in endurance sports, and Allegheny Trail Alliance director Bryan Perry explains why the partnership is good for the GAP and the trails community.
An executive order signed by Governor Tom Wolf last week initiates the rulemaking process whereby Pennsylvania will join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state effort to cut carbon emissions using market-based mechanisms. Policy expert Franz Litz, one of RGGI's original architects, explains how it works and what the transition will mean for Pennsylvania.
You've heard of the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition (IHTC) and its vision for 1,500 miles of interconnected trails across the Rust Belt. But did you know that more than half of those miles are already open, and packed with things to see and do? The recently updated and expanded Trail Trips collection has everything you need to plan an unforgettable IHTC adventure. Its creator, Amy Camp, offers a taste of what's out there.
Allegheny College's "Creek Connections" program gets students out of the classroom and into local waterways for a hands-on learning experience. Watershed educator Laura Branby explains how Creek Connections is sparking kids' interest in the sciences and building their relationship with the natural world.
In honor of Ohiopyle, PA’s bid for Top Adventure Town honors in the “Tiny Towns” division, a tiny podcast episode to tide you through the holiday weekend. Anna Weltz of the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau drops in to ask for your vote in the competition sponsored by Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine. The first round closes Monday, so vote now to keep Pennsylvania in the running!
Top Adventure Town voting: http://contests.blueridgeoutdoors.com/
The end goal of any trail project is to create a public asset that's accessible, welcoming, and beneficial to everyone in the community. But to succeed, inclusivity has to be baked into every project from its inception. Julia Raskin, trail planner and author of PEC's new Inclusionary Trail Planning Toolkit, explains how.
The governors of five Great Lakes states, including Pennsylvania's Tom Wolf, are banding together in an effort to make the health of the lakes a campaign issue in the 2020 presidential election. We dive into the Great Lakes 2020 Platform in conversation with Gov. Wolf's Deputy Chief of Staff, Sam Robinson.
Though Pennsylvania enjoys an abundance of world-class opportunities for outdoor recreation, access is often limited by racial, socioeconomic, and other disparities. For Pennsylvanians with disabilities, adventure sports like kayaking can be especially difficult to break into. But proponents of "adaptive paddling" – like Larry Gioia of Pittsburgh-based Dynamic Paddlers – are working to knock down barriers and get people out on the water, regardless of ability.
Pennsylvania Legacies is on summer break through mid July. We leave you with an audio postcard from the recent unveiling of two exciting new improvements along Bucks County's Delaware & Lehigh Trail.
It's not just Pennsylvania -- trails and greenways are becoming must-have amenities for communities throughout the U.S. and around the world. But the trend isn't universal, and the scarcity of trails in many areas is reflected in lower public health, wellness, and quality-of-life ratings. We assess the global trails landscape in conversation with Mike Passo of American Trails, the national nonprofit behind the International Trails Symposium.
Plus: a forthcoming state Senate bill would cap greenhouse-gas emissions from Pennsylvania's electricity sector and create a new market for zero-carbon energy produced in the commonwealth. We kick off this week's episode with details and analysis from the PEC Policy program.
Through research, activism, and thought leadership, colleges and universities have always been the vanguard of the sustainability movement. But, like any large enterprise, most are also voracious consumers of energy and resources. The University of Pittsburgh is one in a growing number of schools that are leveraging their operational scale to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impacts. Pitt’s newly seated Director of Sustainability, Aurora Sharrard, explains how.
As Ben Franklin wrote, “when the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.” But how do you calculate the value of water resources in dollars and cents? Researcher Spencer Phillips, Ph.D., unpacks the far-reaching economic impacts of water quality in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands. Phillips is the lead author of an innovative new study funded by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and partners in DCNR’s Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape.
Pennsylvania has one of the nation’s most extensive state park-and-forest systems, and for decades it’s been growing in size as well as popularity. But funding for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) hasn’t kept pace with that growth. As a result, a new Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF) report warns, DCNR is facing a $1 billion backlog in delayed maintenance and repairs to park and forest infrastructure. We look at the state of our state parks and forests with PPFF president Marci Mowery.
The Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership is a small organization with a big name, and even bigger ambitions. Executive Director Julie Slavet explains how TTF works across urban/suburban boundaries to educate and engage residents, and how they leverage collaborations like the Delaware River Watershed Initiative to better steward their corner of Greater Philadelphia.
Here's a pretty good reason to root for the Philadelphia Eagles (even you, Steelers fans): under the team's award-winning Go Green initiative, every field goal they put on the board means another ten trees planted in Bucks County's Neshaminy State Park. We celebrate another tree-planting season with the greenest team in pro sports, and share more opportunities for Pennsylvanians to get involved in reforestation projects.
How do you talk about potentially divisive environmental topics with a hostile audience? Tora Johnson, a University of Maine geographer and keynote speaker at last month’s Statewide Conference for Watershed Organizations, says the key is affirming the dignity of everyone involved. Conversation with Dr. Johnson -- and much more from the watersheds conference -- on this episode.
Who are the creatures in your neighborhood? We go in search of urban wildlife with writer, podcaster, and naturalist Billy Brown. Don’t miss his upcoming Nature Talks lecture hosted by Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership.
The Senate passes a massive public lands bill including permanent reauthorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and Pennsylvania's native trout are flourishing thanks to the state- and national-level work of Trout Unlimited. We talk with TU President Chris Wood and Mid-Atlantic Organizer Rob Shane.
Pennsylvania is home to hundreds of small, people-powered organizations dedicated to protecting and restoring local watersheds. These groups are accomplishing great things in their communities, typically on a shoestring budget. But could they be even more effective by coordinating their efforts?
PEC's sister organization, the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR), is forging a statewide community of watershed groups through initiatives like the upcoming "Watershed Connections" conference. Program manager Tali MacArthur previews the conference and the future of POWR.
Patriots Cove, along Beaver Run in Wyoming County, is more than just a great fishing spot. It's a refuge for brook trout and human beings alike, where injured veterans are healing themselves and one another while helping to restore an impaired stream. Patriots Cove co-founder Jeff Swire is our guest.
There's been plenty of talk about climate in Pennsylvania. Now it's time for action.
Davitt Woodwell and John Walliser discuss PEC's just-released policy proposal for putting the Commonwealth on a path to zero carbon emissions.
Despite what you may have heard, environmental causes resonate with Pennsylvanians from all walks of life, throughout the state, and across the political spectrum. Recent polling from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership shows Pennsylvania hunters and anglers in particular are passionate about conservation, irrespective of party affiliation -- and they vote their values.
Vermont Law School is home to the nation's top-ranked environmental law program. Its graduates are also among the best prepared for the real world, thanks to the Semester in Practice program. Davitt Woodwell chats with Vermont Law's Johanna Thibault and fall 2018 PEC legal intern Ethan Story.
With new urgency around the unfolding climate crisis, policy discussions at the state level are intensifying. PEC's policy team has an update and analysis on recent and forthcoming proposals to tackle Pennsylvania's carbon emissions.
As voting begins for 2019 Pennsylvania River of the Year, a chat with Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper's Carol Parenzan about last year's winner, Loyalsock Creek.
Then: plenty of groups and government agencies are working independently to restore Pennsylvania's forest lands. Could they make a bigger impact by coordinating their efforts? We explore an emerging statewide reforestation partnership with PEC program manager Laura Bray.
In working to clean up one of Pennsylvania's most impaired urban watersheds, the members of the Wissahickon Clean Water Partnership face a daunting challenge. But the coalition also has a major advantage: a shared recognition that working together is the only way forward. As the initiative pivots to focus on community engagement, we drop in on a public forum held recently in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are both on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ list of 20 American cities being recognized for leading the way on climate action, each receiving up to $2.5 million to accelerate existing sustainability work. We talk with the director of Philly’s Office of Sustainability, Christine Knapp, and Pittsburgh’s Chief Resilience Officer, Grant Ervin. Plus: what does a new state law limiting landowner liability mean for outdoor recreation in Pennsylvania?
Cambria County's business, government, and nonprofit sectors are teaming up with citizens to reinvent the historically flood-ravaged city of Johnstown. We explore Johnstown's evolution through the work of the Vision 2025 initiative and the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape.
Participants in the 2018 Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition Summit talk about meeting the challenges of a growing trail network in this excerpt from the Pennsylvania Legacies podcast.
An update on the expired – but not yet extinguished – Land and Water Conservation Fund, and a visit to the 2018 Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition Summit in Morgantown, WV.
As time runs out for the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, we hit the road to discover how LWCF funding has enhanced parks and public lands across the Commonwealth -- and why it's so urgently important for Congress to reauthorize the Fund before September 30.
Without congressional reauthorization, the Land and Water Conservation Fund will expire on September 30. What would that mean for Pennsylvania? And what can we do about it?
Pennsylvania is getting ready to tackle the next phase of the Chesapeake Bay cleanup, with a new emphasis on getting things done at the county level. But will it be enough to get us back on track after a disappointing EPA assessment? We'll get an update from Harry Campbell of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and take a ride on a historic railroad line that could become the setting for northeastern PA's newest trail system.
Pennsylvania's first-in-the-nation recycling law is 30 years old this summer. Act 101 helped launch a multibillion-dollar industry and trained a generation of Pennsylvanians to drop their bottles and cans in the blue bin. But changing market conditions and consumer behaviors have prompted calls for an overhaul to the 1988 legislation. Justin Stockdale of the Pennsylvania Resource Council is our guest.
Community gardens and CSAs make it easy for apartment-dwellers to access fresh, locally-grown produce. What if you could apply the same concept to sell homegrown electrons to utility customers? As lawmakers set the stage for community solar projects to move forward, PEC energy analyst Alissa Burger explains how the model could help transform the market for clean energy in Pennsylvania.
On this episode: how the Super Bowl LII Champion Philadelphia Eagles became the greenest team in pro sports, plus news from the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape.
A deep dive into Pennsylvania's new alternative utility ratemaking law, and a visit to the soon-to-reopen Climax Tunnel on Clarion County's Redbank Valley Trail.
The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has received national recognition for the work of its Trails Advisory Committee. A conversation with committee chair Andy Hamilton, and news about DCNR's plans for confronting climate change, on this episode.
In these digital times, the paper industry isn't what it used to be. But one paper manufacturer in central PA is thriving under a business model that's all about reducing environmental impacts and finding innovative ways to stay viable. On this episode, the story of a mill town on the cutting edge of sustainability.
Technology is a powerful tool, but it's not enough to confront the most complex environmental challenges -- you also need foresight, strategy, cooperation, patience, and above all, leadership. Jared Cohon has exemplified all of these qualities and more during his years as an engineer, educator, researcher, and university president. As we prepare to recognize Dr. Cohon for Lifetime Achievement at the 2018 Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards, a look back at his extraordinary career and lessons learned along the way.
Also: in celebration of National Bike to Work Day, and of PEC's recent designation as a Bicycle Friendly Business, staffers talk about how and why they commute by bike.
An update on recent environmental legislation and other state government activity with PEC’s policy team, and a postcard from our recent Earth Day tree-planting event at Pinchot State Forest.
Pennsylvania looks for an on-ramp to the EV revolution, and Environmental Defense Fund launches a first-of-its kind initiative to track methane emissions from space.
This week marks a major milestone in one of PEC’s most important projects, as the William Penn Foundation (WPF) announces more than 40-million dollars in new funding for the Delaware River Watershed Initiative (DRWI). Launched in 2014, the DRWI is a wide-ranging conservation effort being undertaken by dozens of groups in four states to protect and restore clean water resources throughout the Delaware River watershed. We talk about DRWI’s next stage with WPF’s Andrew Johnson, and with PEC’s Susan Myerov and Patrick Starr.
The site of an archaeological dig in Lycoming County becomes a vibrant community park with help from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund. Another success story to mark the Keystone Fund's 25th anniversary, and a chat with PEC's new Senior Policy Adviser for Energy & Climate, on this episode.
Nobody knows exactly how much methane is released each year by Pennsylvania's oil and gas industry. But a new Environmental Defense Fund analysis suggests actual emissions could be as high as five times the state's official estimate.
Author and advocate Richard Louv has been writing for years about the connection between human health and our relationship to the outdoors. He joins us with a preview of his upcoming Philadelphia appearance as part of Tookany-Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership’s “Nature Talks” lecture series.
A new art exhibition at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education invites visitors to consider how much of our awareness -- or lack of awareness -- about the landscapes we inhabit is shaped by names. The pieces in "Learn a River's Name" set out to formulate new terms and vocabularies for understanding watersheds, and for creating new bonds of stewardship between people and the land.
Since its inception in 1993, the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund has made possible the creation or improvement of thousands of community assets – everything from trails and green space to libraries and historic sites.
In honor of the Keystone Fund's 25th anniversary, we're featuring testimonials from Pennsylvanians whose lives have been enriched through those investments.
Though they may look similar superficially, each of the suburban communities that make up Montgomery County has its own unique qualities… and its own challenges. But one thing they all have in common is a shared stake in the health of Wissahickon Creek.
In part 3 of our series on the Wissahickon Clean Water Partnership, we focus on the stakeholders, and what's at stake for them individually, in conversation with Upper Dublin Township Manager Paul Leonard and Lower Gwynedd Township Supervisor Mark Grey.
In our final episode of 2017: why Pennsylvania veterans are joining the call for responsible controls on methane emissions in the natural gas industry, and an update on voting for 2018 Pennsylvania River of the Year.
Pittsburgh’s Climate Action Plan is taking shape. But how will the city achieve its vision of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by mid-century? PEC’s Lindsay Baxter, who authored the original version of the plan in 2008, joins us.
Also: can learning to use a bow and arrow improve kids’ focus and concentration? Conversation with Christine Ticehurst of DCNR on the Bureau of State Parks’ youth archery program.
After months of training in state and county parks around central Pennsylvania, state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is ready for the grueling Spartan World Championship obstacle race next month in Reykjavik, Iceland. We talk with Pennsylvania’s fiscal watchdog about the value of parks and trails, and how he uses the tools of oversight to fight for the environment.
A coalition of municipalities, local and state agencies, NGOs, and citizens is working on a plan to clean up Montgomery County's impaired Wissahickon Creek. But before seeking out answers for a problem as complex as this one, you need to be sure you're asking the right questions. In part 2 of our series on the Wissahickon Clean Water Partnership, Pennsylvania Legacies visits the Temple University lab of Dr. Laura Toran, who's helping to set the agenda by diagnosing the creek's many ills.
Pennsylvania is riddled with abandoned oil wells, and the state doesn’t have the resources to locate and plug even a fraction of them. That’s why DEP wants to make it easier -- and less risky -- for private actors to help out. Could overhauling the state's Good Samaritan law encourage voluntary remediation efforts?
With more than a million visitors a year, the Great Allegheny Passage is one of Pennsylvania's biggest trail development success stories. A group of state and local government officials rode the GAP this fall, along with community and business leaders from the area, to get a closer look at some of the economic benefits it's brought to communities along the route. We drop in on the tour on this week's show.
Three months into the fiscal year, Pennsylvania's state government has a "budget by default" after legislative talks broke down and the governor announced plans to securitize liquor revenues. How does the seemingly permanent stalemate impact environmental, conservation, energy, and recreation programs?
Then, a visit to the 2017 conference of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), held this week in Pittsburgh. PEC co-sponsored the annual gathering of state and federal officials, energy companies, and environmental groups.
The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps is providing muscle for scores of recreation and conservation projects statewide. But the program is also doing something else that's arguably even more important: cultivating a diverse new generation of citizen-stewards and future conservation professionals. DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn stops by to talk about the program.
The latest on Pennsylvania's ongoing state budget battle, and a roundtable discussion with members of DEP's Solar Future Stakeholders Group.
Lawmakers took another step this week toward what would be the biggest reduction in state funding for local environment and energy projects in Pennsylvania history. We’ll get an update from the state capitol.
Then, fall foliage season is getting off to an early start in Pennsylvania’s northern tier, and forecasters expect this year’s colors to be some of the most spectacular in recent memory. DCNR forester Ryan Reed joins us with tips for making the most of it.
A postcard from this summer's Bowie-themed "Rebel Rebel" river sojourn, and a conversation with Nick Kline of the Coalition for Green Capital on unlocking the economic potential of renewables and energy efficiency investments in Pennsylvania.
A legislative raid on special environment & conservation funds may leave communities on the hook for money already spent on local grant-funded projects; Shell agrees to fenceline monitoring at its new ethane cracker; and Hurricane Harvey delivers a stark warning to flood-prone Pennsylvania.
Also: what will it take to bring Pennsylvania's electric vehicle charging infrastructure up to speed with the coming surge in EV adoption? We examine new legislation that aims to kickstart the planning process.
Mounting opposition to budget riders, DEP's modest progress toward better clean drinking water enforcement, and good news from the Chesapeake Bay.
Also: why do birds suddenly appear every time you reclaim and reforest abandoned mine lands?
At least one major federal government entity is still paying attention to the threat of climate change: the military. A retired naval officer explains why, in a talk given at PEC's 2017 deep decarbonization conference. (Learn more at pec-climate.org)
In the news: another court decision portends big changes in how Pennsylvania's environmental laws are interpreted and enforced; the state scrambles to meet federal drinking water enforcement standards; and a new bill aims to speed cleanup of PFOA contamination near military bases in southeastern PA.
Curbing methane emissions from natural gas production isn't just about combating climate change. For many conservatives in Western states, it's just good business. We visit a Wyoming startup that's helping oil & gas companies save money and keep their workers safe by finding gas leaks.
Also, a review of the week's PA environment news: more backlash against state budget riders, the Mariner East II pipeline moves forward, and could dredging behind Conowingo Dam help clean up the Chesapeake Bay?
A deal struck as part of the state budget process could hamstring the Department of Environmental Protection and put permitting decisions in the hands of unqualified private actors. One former DEP chief warns these amendments would set a disastrous precedent for every state government agency -- not just DEP.
Pennsylvania Legacies is taking a brief summer break and will return to our regular schedule next week. In the interim, we're reposting our June segment on one of the biggest environmental news stories of the summer: a major state Supreme Court decision on the state constitution's Environmental Rights Amendment.
The National Parks system is among the most beloved institutions in the U.S., more popular than every federal agency but the Postal Service. But "America's best idea" is also one of our most neglected assets... and it's about to take another budget hit. Learn how Pennsylvania sites managed by the NPS are faring on this week's show.
A look inside PEC's new white paper, Achieving Deep Carbon Reductions: Paths for Pennsylvania's Energy Future, based on our March 2017 conference of the same name. PEC President Davitt Woodwell chats with Energy & Climate Program Manager Lindsay Baxter.
Drinking water from the Delaware River is shared by Pennsylvania and three other states according to an elaborate, decades-old formula. For years, an agreement among the parties has allowed for some variability in that formula for the sake of maintaining healthy water levels and temperatures. But the recent lapse of the agreement could mean trouble -- both for the ecosystem, and for communities that depend on the Delaware for tourism and drinking water.
Also in this episode: analysis of two major decisions handed down this summer by the state Supreme Court, which PEC's John Walliser says change the terms under which the state regulates environmental issues.
In 2014, Colorado became the first state to regulate methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. As Pennsylvania takes similar steps, what can we learn from Colorado's experience convening diverse stakeholders to create effective and feasible rules?
From the 2017 Philadelphia Environmental Partnership dinner: conversation with Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery), and keynote remarks from Steve Santarsiero, Chief Deputy for Environmental Protection in the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
Conversation with 2017 Winsor Award winner Carol Collier, and a crash course in the climate science and economics of methane emissions.
As Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Alexandra Chiaruttini understands the value of meaningful public engagement in the regulatory process. Speaking at PEC's regional awards dinner last month in Pittsburgh, she called on Pennsylvanians, environmental groups, and companies to practice "varsity citizenship."
We visit the 2017 International Trails Symposium in Dayton, and get to know some of the Philadelphia-area cyclists who are raising money for PEC in the upcoming Environment Ride.
PEC opposes a state Senate bill that would expose surface water to further impacts from underground mining, and we pay tribute to two western PA environmental leaders up for Lifetime Achievement honors at our spring awards dinner.
Growing Greener Coalition members rally for funding, and DEP's Environmental Justice office hits the road in search of intersectionality across Pennsylvania's diverse communities.
The Montour Woods Conservation Area outside Pittsburgh is a time capsule, studded with remnants of the area's agricultural and industrial past. It's also part of the pathway to a future when public parks and greenspaces across the region will be linked by miles of multi-use trails. We take a hike through the Montour Woods with Sean Brady and Chris Rolinson of the Hollow Oak Land Trust.
More than 300 northeastern Pennsylvanians turned out last weekend to help PEC and DCNR plant thousands of seedlings on former mining sites. This week's show features voices from our Earth Day 2017 tree-planting event in Pinchot State Forest, Luzerne County.
Sixteen projects are being recognized for their contributions to environmental stewardship with the 2017 Governor's Award For Environmental Excellence. PEC is proud to co-host the awards dinner on April 25th along with the Department of Environmental Protection. On this Earth Day weekend, Acting DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell joins us to highlight a few of the honorees and discuss how their ideas are leveraging similar projects across the state.
More and more states are adopting measures to limit emissions of methane from the production and distribution of natural gas. Finding and fixing methane leaks is good for the environment, but it's also good for business -- like the 20+ companies that are now employing Pennsylvanians to help gas companies boost their own bottom lines by improving efficiency.
A 250-foot gap in Carbon County has been holding back the Delaware & Lehigh Trail for years, earning a spot on DCNR's top-ten list of critical trail gaps statewide... until now. Wednesday's groundbreaking brought the 25-year planning phase of the Jim Thorpe Pedestrian Bridge to a close. We look at the effort's long history -- and its expected economic impact -- with D&L National Heritage Corridor President & Executive Director Elissa Garofalo.
Little by little, Philadelphia is building a 750-mile regional trail system. As the Circuit Trails Coalition celebrates spring with new trail openings, we get to know one of the many small groups that are accomplishing big things by working together. Plus: an update on the federal RECLAIM Act, Three Mile Island anniversary, and the latest bald eagle news from across the Commonwealth.
Reaction to the Trump administration's budget proposal, recognition for PEC's illegal dumpsite cleanup program, and a preview of Carnegie Mellon University's "Energy Week."
On March 15 & 16 PEC hosted "Achieving Deep Carbon Reductions," a regional conference devoted to the subject of deep decarbonization. This week's show is the first of several featuring highlights from the sessions and interviews with the speakers.
Watershed groups from across the Commonwealth were represented at this week's Watershed Connections conference in State College. Davitt Woodwell spoke with some of them for this week's show.
Most people in Philadelphia know Wissahickon Creek as a bucolic setting for outdoor recreation, easily accessed via the city's Fairmount Park. But the real story of the Wissahickon begins 23 miles upstream in Montgomery County, where the picture isn't always so pretty. Repairing years of damage to the stream will be a massive and complex challenge, but communities and organizations throughout the watershed are teaming up to do just that. in the first part of a series examining this collaborative effort, we take a tour of the creek with our friends at the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association.
The campus of Pittsburgh's Phipps Conservatory is home to some of the world's greenest buildings -- in more ways than one. We learn about Phipps's 124-year evolution from public botanical gardens to R&D lab for sustainable building and design. Plus: your monthly update on bald eagle news from across PA.
The history of Pennsylvania's public lands is closely intertwined with African American history. Before they were state parks and forests, many of these areas were crisscrossed with Underground Railroad routes, and dotted with abolitionist strongholds and communities of freed slaves. This month, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is honoring that legacy and recognizing some of the Black Pennsylvanians who've played a role in preserving it. But spokeswoman Chris Novak says DCNR still has work to do when it comes to diversifying its workforce.
Governor Tom Wolf's 2017-2018 budget includes no substantial funding increase for the Department of Environmental Protection, an agency that's been understaffed for more than a decade. As budget season gets underway, we look to former DEP Secretary David Hess for context.
Millions of dollars from the federal Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund could soon reach Pennsylvania, if Congress approves the bipartisan RECLAIM Act this year. The legislation is about to be reintroduced, and its backers are excited about the prospect of funding for reclamation projects throughout coal country. Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds director John Dawes explains why in this week's episode.
The state's Conservation Landscapes program is poised to expand in 2017 with the creation of a new landscape area in western PA. We'll learn about the new "Glacier's Edge" landscape from program manager Marla Papernick on this week's show.
Lindsay Baxter sets the 2017 agenda for PEC's energy & climate program: deep decarbonization, low-impact hydropower, and rethinking sustainability.
Our 2017 preview series continues with a focus on trails. This week, Davitt Woodwell looks at the year ahead with PEC program manager for trails & recreation Frank Maguire.
We start the new year with a look ahead to some of the issues we're working on in 2017. PEC Legal & Government Affairs VP John Walliser is first up with a preview of DEP's forthcoming permit proposal for unconventional gas production.
A roundup of PA environmental news headlines, and insights on deep decarbonization from Dr. Greg Reed, director of the University of Pittsburgh Center For Energy.
Note: This is our final episode of 2016 -- we'll be taking a short break for the holidays. Pennsylvania Legacies returns on January 6, 2017.
A recap of the week's PA environmental news, and a preview of PEC's upcoming conference on deep decarbonization with keynote speaker M. Granger Morgan of Carnegie Mellon University.
John Dawes: This week’s guest is John Dawes, Executive Director of The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.
This week’s guest is Evan Griffin, working with The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.
A research partnership between Google and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is using specially outfitted Google Street View cars to map methane leaks in underground pipelines. PEC's Josh Raulerson rides along.
This week’s guest is Hannah Hardy, Chief of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention at the Allegheny County Health Department.
This week’s guest is Patrick Starr, Senior Vice President of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
Mark Alan Hughes, Director of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, joins the podcast to discuss what led him to his career in energy policy, the current state of sustainability in Philadelphia, and more.
Gabi Hughes, an environmental educator at the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, joins the podcast to discuss what led her to environmental education, her experience in the profession, and more.
Elena Meth, an environmental studies/sociology and anthropology double major at Denison University joins the podcast to discuss how she developed her passion for the environment, her collegiate studies, the next generation of environmental stewards, and more.
Andy Hamilton, Mid Atlantic Coordinator for the East Coast Greenway, Vice Chair of the September 11 National Memorial Trail Board, and Chair of DCNR's Trail Advisory Committee joins the podcast to discuss Pennsylvania trail projects. Hamilton highlights work on the East Coast Greenway, the September 11 National Memorial Trail, The Circuit Trails, and more.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette environmental reporter Don Hopey joins the podcast to discuss the state of environmental journalism, how he got started in the industry, and much more.
Carol Collier, Senior Advisor for Watershed policy and management at the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University, joins the podcast to discuss initiatives taking place on the Delaware River and her work at Drexel, and more.
Deb Frawley, Program Coordinator for Trails & Recreation, discusses what led her to PEC.
President Davitt Woodwell discusses his tenure at PEC and all of the work PEC does across the state.
Senior Vice President for Legal & Government Affairs John Walliser discusses what led him to PEC.