The Pennsylvania Legacies podcast features conversations with community leaders, policy experts, and Pennsylvanians on the most important environmental and conservation issues facing the Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania Legacies

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.

From the Start

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.

Engaging Communities on Hydrogen

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.

Much to Celebrate

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.

Riding NEPA Gravel

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.

Deciding On Trails (repeat)

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.

An Ounce of Prevention

A deep dive into Pennsylvania's new alternative utility ratemaking law, and a visit to the soon-to-reopen Climax Tunnel on Clarion County's Redbank Valley Trail.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

In working to clean up one of Pennsylvania's most impaired urban watersheds, the members of the Wissahickon Clean Water Partnership face a daunting challenge. But the coalition also has a major advantage: a shared recognition that working together is the only way forward. As the initiative pivots to focus on community engagement, we drop in on a public forum held recently in Philadelphia.

Teaming Up to Save the Wissahickon

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) protects and restores the natural and built environments through innovation, collaboration, education, and advocacy. PEC believes in the value of partnerships with the private sector, government, communities, and individuals to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.

From the Start

Pennsylvania Environmental Council

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