Current Events

Monarch butterflies are an iconic species that can be found throughout North America, but various factors are threatening the stability of their population. Brandywine Conservancy is helping boost monarch butterfly numbers by establishing Monarch Waystations throughout the Laurel Highlands. Learn more about this initiative and how you can create your own Monarch Waystation on this episode of Pennsylvania Legacies.

A replay of our 2021 interview with Franklin Kury, the former state lawmaker who authored and championed Pennsylvania's first-in-the-nation Environmental Rights Amendment. Mr. Kury passed away this month, leaving a legacy that touches the lives of every Pennsylvanian -- including those not yet born.

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.

"Proudly Made: A Story of Reinvention in the Big Woods and Small Towns of the Pennsylvania Wilds" 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.