Pennsylvania

We must do more to protect Pennsylvania’s natural resources | Opinion

Published

2 years ago

January 10, 2024

We must do more to protect Pennsylvania’s natural resources | Opinion

By Imani Jackson

Pennsylvania is losing habitat and natural resources for wildlife in Pennsylvania due to the development of housing, agriculture, energy and infrastructure. On top of that, climate change is doing even more damage.

Pennsylvania hosts a broad diversity of habitats, from deep forests, wetlands, beaches, and natural lakes, to shale and serpentine barrens. What is now the Philadelphia metropolitan area was once home to thousands of acres of freshwater tidal marsh.

You can get information about these issues here: https://waterlandlife.org/wildlife-pnhp/species-at-risk-in-pennsylvania/.

We complain about not having enough natural resources, but are we really doing anything to help preserve them? Expanding cities and development is impacting sea life by contaminating waters, creating unhealthy conditions for fish and sea animals to survive.

The nearly 17 million acres of forest within Pennsylvania provide a wide range including clean air, water, recreational opportunities, wood products, and habitat for thousands of plant and animal species. Forests are homes for animals and different plant species. That is why we need to do everything we can to help keep them clean, safe, and healthy.

Loss of habitat and natural resources is occurring due to development in both cities and rural areas.

Over 3,000 miles of streams and rivers now are polluted with acid mine drainage from coal mining–ruining aquatic ecosystems, impacting drinking water, and leaving many waterways colored orange, according to state authorties.

The public owns 30% of PA’s forest land. But with the development of shale gas, the state government quickly moved to capitalize by leasing out hundreds of thousands of acres of mineral rights beneath our state forest and game lands, further hurting the environment.

There is genuine need to improve infrastructure in many areas. It’s been over 50 years since some of our infrastructure was built. Many communities are dealing with corrosion of pipes and overflowing sewers that can lead to lead, mercury, bacteria and other toxins leaching into our drinking water.

In addition, climate change is impacting Pennsylvania and the world. Climate change is creating a warmer and wetter Pennsylvania with more extreme and variable weather. Like most of the world, Pennsylvania has already seen an increase in average annual temperature. Climate models predict that the temperatures will increase again by between 4-8 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050.

Recreation shifts due to climate change is a major issue. Overall warming and changes in the seasonal characteristics of precipitation are likely to have substantial impacts on recreation in the Northeast, including reduced winter recreation and increased warm season activities.

This likely will worsen ground-level ozone pollution problems in urban areas. Increased summer heat may increase insect populations. Warming fall temperatures may result in muted fall foliage colors. Summer recreational activities involving beaches or freshwater reservoirs will have extended seasons and more demand as havens from increasing summer heat.

The increased intensity and frequency of floods and droughts also may put water-related recreation activities at risk. Climate change is likely to have many consequences for Pennsylvania’s forests, indirectly affecting the recreational opportunities they provide.

According to state authorities, forest types in Pennsylvania already have begun to shift in many areas, from maple-beech-birch to oak-hickory-pine, resulting in major socioeconomic impacts on the hardwood industry and other forest-based industries in Pennsylvania.

Climate change threatens Pennsylvania’s cold water fisheries, many of which will be converted to warm water fisheries. Climate change is also likely to affect forest productivity and the frequency of natural disturbances (fire and drought), and reduce biodiversity.

Warm-weather invasive species are expanding into Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan. This will create even more challenges for native species to survive.

As humans, we need to be more involved in helping make our environment clean for ourselves and wildlife. We need the natural resources just as much as the wildlife does, so we must do everything we can to restore a healthy environment.

Imani Jackson is a student at Dauphin County Technical School.

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Pennsylvania

1 dead, 2 hospitalized after crash in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, police say

Published

32 minutes ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

1 dead, 2 hospitalized after crash in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, police say

Updated on: June 2, 2026 / 9:28 PM EDT
/ CBS Philadelphia

One person is dead, and two others were taken to the hospital after a crash involving multiple vehicles in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Tuesday afternoon, police said.

The crash happened around 4:45 p.m. at East Bristol Road and Brownsville roads, police said.

Police said a person driving a Toyota RAV4 was involved in a domestic-related incident in Lower Southampton Township before the crash.

The person driving the Toyota RAV4 was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed, crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle while attempting to pass a Hyundai Kona, according to police.

The Toyota then became airborne, struck a Honda SUV and a Ford pickup truck and rolled over. The driver of the Toyota died in the crash, police said.

The driver of the Hyundai Kona left the road and came to a rest after striking a fence on Bristol Road, according to police.

It’s unclear if any drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash, police said.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Bensalem police.

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Pennsylvania

Digital News Publishers Launch Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) to Advocate for Local News Organizations – Saucon Source

Published

11 hours ago

June 2, 2026

Press Room

Digital News Publishers Launch Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) to Advocate for Local News Organizations – Saucon Source

The publishers of two dozen local news brands across Pennsylvania today announced the official formation of the Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA).

The new Harrisburg-based organization is dedicated to bringing together digital-first local news organizations to strengthen the independent press, modernize laws and policies, and ensure the long-term sustainability of community news.

“The news industry is in a period of profound transformation, and digital news publishers need a seat at the table,” said Tom Sofield, PiNA’s president and publisher of LevittownNow.com.

PiNA’s mission is to provide these publishers with a collective voice, advocating for policies that reflect the modern reality of news consumers, local businesses and civic organizations.

An immediate focus for the new association is the reform of Pennsylvania’s outdated public notice laws, which currently prohibit digital outlets from publishing legal notices. PiNA seeks the right for qualified and established digital outlets to compete against incumbent print outlets and for local municipalities to choose the publication and medium that’s best for their communities. PiNA’s proposed amendment draws from similar legislation in Virginia that was signed into law in 2024.

“PiNA publishers have long been ready to compromise and find policy solutions that work for all Pennsylvanians,” said PiNA secretary and treasurer Davis Shaver, publisher of LebTown. “When lawmakers and local government organizations say they want the ability to self-publish notices, it’s a result of legacy newspapers treating the print monopoly over public notices as a profit center.”

PiNA’s position is that independent outlets can provide the third-party affidavits of publication required to demonstrate compliance with public notice mandates–an essential role of the notice process that would not be possible if agencies were allowed to publish on their own websites.

“We understand why self-publication is desirable, but it’s not the only way to provide urgently needed financial relief for the onerous print newspaper tax on public notices,” said Shaver. “We’re tired of waiting for legacy newspapers to disrupt themselves. Enough is enough, let’s move on.”

PiNA has already engaged with state legislators from across the Commonwealth. PiNA leadership said that the group has been encouraged to learn that its position has widespread support. In particular, PiNA commends Representative Robert Freeman (D-136) for his leadership on this issue.

PiNA represents a group of serious-minded news organizations and leaders. Its membership spans the Commonwealth, from the most rural area to the suburbs and to the neighborhoods of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. PiNA member outlets are read by millions of Pennsylvanians monthly.

“We are coming together to advocate for our staffs, our readers and common-sense policies–like public notice reform–that support a free and modern press,” said Sofield. “By combining our strengths, we can ensure that every community in Pennsylvania has access to reliable local news.”

The association will work to bring collaboration among the locally-owned Pennsylvania small businesses to share ideas and solutions for growth, technology and sustainable revenue models.

“We believe in the power of local news to build stronger communities and improve lives,” said Sofield. “By forming PiNA, we’re creating a base for independent publishers to thrive together.”

PiNA is focused on ensuring that high-quality, trustworthy local news is a permanent fixture in Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The founding members of PiNA include Burb Media, EYT Media Group, Fideri News Network, Lazerpro, Lebanon Publishing Company, NCPA Media LLC and Street Light Media Group. The first associate members include West Hills Gazette and Saucon Source.

Member Outlets: AroundAmbler.com, CentralBucksNews.com, explore814.com, exploreClarion.com, exploreJeffersonPA.com, exploreVenango.com, GlensideLocal.com, HorshamNow.com, LebTown.com, LevittownNow.com, MediaPANow.com, MoreThanTheCurve.com, NewHopeFreePress.com, NewtownPANow.com, NorthCentralPA.com, NorthPennNow.com, PerkValleyNow.com, PhillyDaily.com, SauconSource.com, StateCollege.com, WestHillsGazette.com, WillowGroveNow.com, and WissNow.com.

About PiNA

The Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) is a trade association representing digital-first local news publishers. PiNA works to promote the health and sustainability of independent news outlets through advocacy, collaboration and innovation.

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