Pennsylvania Legacies

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.

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 atmosphere, 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.