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 recen

Much to Celebrate

21 days ago 19m 52s

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; th

Engaging Communities on Hydrogen

Apr 19th, 2024 49m 48s

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 th

Rising to the Occasion

Apr 5th, 2024 56m 38s

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

Birds on the Wire

Mar 22nd, 2024 32m 39s

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 Pe

New Year, New Leadership

Mar 8th, 2024 28m 5s

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

Emission: Impossible

Feb 23rd, 2024 27m 34s

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

Getting Hydrogen Right

Feb 9th, 2024 44m 34s

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 th

Lights Out!

Jan 26th, 2024 38m 7s

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 limitin

A Seat at the Table

Jan 12th, 2024 28m 47s

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 Pennsyl

Throughline

Dec 15th, 2023 44m 40s

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

Bonus: Trails Together

Nov 23rd, 2023 20m 31s

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 equ

Currently Streaming

Nov 10th, 2023 31m 15s

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, ins

Carbon Pricing 101 (repeat)

Oct 13th, 2023 29m 7s

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

From the Start

Sep 29th, 2023 28m 54s

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" De

Milestones

Sep 15th, 2023 28m 39s

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 fr

All Natural

Sep 1st, 2023 25m 48s

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 an

Clearing the Air

Aug 18th, 2023 30m 10s

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?

Into the Woods

Aug 4th, 2023 32m 58s

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 opportu

Checking the Boxes (Part 2)

Jul 21st, 2023 31m 28s

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 fundin

Checking the Boxes (Part 1)

Jul 7th, 2023 48m 3s

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

Endless Possibilities

Jun 23rd, 2023 34m 7s

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 wa

Whatever Floats Your Boat

Jun 9th, 2023 31m 22s

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

Whatever Floats Your Boat

Jun 8th, 2023 31m 21s

Moving the Needle on Conifers

May 26th, 2023 28m 21s

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