Levels of bromide and total dissolved solids have improved in the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers in recent years. But the future is uncertain due to potential new sources. More
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Water Quality: Bromide and TDS
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Shale Gas Production Rises, Again
Production rose again last year in the Marcellus shale play, which continues to reign as the most productive shale region in the United States, according to data from the United States Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Drilling Productivity Report. More
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Air Quality Trends
The days when Pittsburgh earned the reputation as the “Smokey City” may be long gone, but the quality of the region’s air remains a concern. Air quality has improved across the region for more than two decades due to a number of factors, including the decline of local steel and other heavy manufacturing, tighter air... More
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Environmental Ethic
The environmental ethic among southwestern Pennsylvanians is complex, data reported in the Pittsburgh Regional Environmental survey suggest. They do not, for example, exclude citizens like themselves from sharing the burden of solving environmental problems. More than 86 percent of those who live in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area agree that individual citizens should be responsible... More
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Combined Sewage Overflow
Abundant annual rainfall leaves southwestern Pennsylvania in a fortunate position as much of the world grapples with the prospect of a shortage of fresh water. But effective stewardship to protect the quality of its rivers and streams has not been the region’s strong suit. More
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Regional Energy Use
In a region where coal was once king, nearly half of the electricity consumed today is generated from non-carbon sources. Yet, wind, solar and other renewable sources claim a tiny fraction of the local energy portfolio. More
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Thinking Green
Undertaking sustainable practices remains largely voluntary in Pittsburgh and surrounding counties. But the potential for saving money and a changing business climate are turning the heads of an increasing number of building owners, companies, local governments and schools. More
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Energy Boost
After competing against one another to lure the industry to their states for years, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and his counterparts in West Virginia and Ohio have agreed to reach across boundaries to collaborate on creating conditions that support shale gas-related industries. More
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Climate Change Concerns
Our environment survey suggests that a majority of southwestern Pennsylvanians support controls on greenhouse gases - a concept that's at the heart of the Obama Administration policy for combating climate change announced this week. Read on to see what the survey reveals about the region's views on global warming, its causes and other issues. More