Sophia Schmidt covers the environment for WHYY’s PlanPhilly. Before coming to Philadelphia in 2021, Sophia reported on her home state of Delaware for Delaware Public Media and produced interviews for NPR’s “Weekend Edition.” Sophia was a 2021 Metcalf Fellow.
More from the Contributor
Pa. households can apply for heating bill assistance after monthlong delay
The state delayed its LIHEAP program as it waited for federal funds held up by the government shutdown. The program opens Wednesday, Dec. 3.
24 hours ago
Listen 0:51What to do if you find injured, sick or orphaned wildlife in Philadelphia
Here’s how to safely capture an injured animal and where to take it for help.
1 day ago
Listen 0:56Community trash disposal sites are coming to Southwest Philadelphia
The trash disposal sites will be open 24/7 and accept residential waste.
2 days ago
Listen 0:58A tax credit for home insulation, air conditioners and heat pumps ends soon. Here’s what to know
The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit saved households in Pa., Del. and N.J. more than $200 million in a recent tax year.
1 week ago
Listen 0:54Philadelphians will soon face 10-cent paper bag fee at grocery stores, markets and more
Plastic bags are already banned in Philadelphia. Paper bags will come with a fee.
3 weeks ago
Listen 0:55Chester to Philadelphia: ‘Find somewhere else’ to send your trash
A bill would prevent Philadelphia from signing new contracts for waste incineration, forcing the city to send all of its waste to landfills.
4 weeks ago
Listen 0:58LIHEAP is delayed in Pa. due to the government shutdown. Here are other resources for energy bills
With the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program delayed, over 300,000 Pa. households will wait longer for help heating their homes.
4 weeks ago
How Philadelphia seniors are tracking microplastics in streams and working to ‘leave a better world’
Members of the Senior Environment Corps wade into streams, peer through microscopes and teach kids how to identify aquatic critters.
1 month ago
Listen 5:03Republican lawmakers from Pa., N.J., Va. and Md. weigh solutions to rising electricity bills
Republican lawmakers want to see faster permitting and an end to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
1 month ago
‘Philly ain’t playing’: City steps up anti-dumping enforcement efforts
Forty additional city employees have been given authority to issue notices of violation against illegal dumpers. They hit the streets next month.
1 month ago
Listen 0:47LIHEAP is delayed in Pa. due to the federal government shutdown. Here’s what to know
State officials say Pa. has not received its federal allocation for LIHEAP. Assistance could open on Dec. 3, if the funds begin to flow before then.
1 month ago
Listen 0:58Philadelphia mayor and council members at odds over 10-cent paper bag fee bill
The fee is meant to encourage Philadelphians to bring their own bags. Parker’s administration worries it could hurt low-income residents.
1 month ago
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