
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
Cobbs Creek Golf Course zoning exemption gets commission approval despite opposition
Residents fear the zoning overlay could worsen flooding downstream of the golf course, but a state official and a developer’s contractor say that’s not likely.
3 years ago
‘Port Richmond Strong’: Community members raising money to help families devastated by explosion
“When you have nothing and you've lost everything, anything is more than nothing,” said one organizer.
3 years ago
U.S. Fire Administrator commemorates Fairmount fire in Philly, announces national strategy
The Fairmount fire, which killed a dozen people including nine children, is the type of tragedy U.S. Fire Administrator Lori Moore-Merrell hopes to prevent.
3 years ago
PGW says its gas lines did not cause the Port Richmond explosion. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t gas
The investigation into the New Year’s Day explosion is ongoing. Early results don’t point to PGW’s gas lines, but gas still could have been the cause.
3 years ago
Listen 1:12PGW says its gas lines did not cause the Port Richmond home explosion
The explosion destroyed three homes and damaged dozens more. So far, the city’s gas utility has not found evidence of a leak.
3 years ago
2022 has been one of Philly’s warmest years on record
“This is the new normal,” one expert said. “And that should be alarming.”
3 years ago
Cancer-causing benzene will not be monitored at former PES refinery site in 2023
“One way of showing … that you care about the community is to keep monitoring to see if we're safe,” a nearby resident said.
3 years ago
This Philly business wants to pack your holiday orders in trash
Feeling guilty about all the plastic, cardboard, and styrofoam your online orders come in? A craft supply business in Philly is trying to solve the problem.
3 years ago
Listen 5:42Proposed exemption for Cobbs Creek Golf Course delayed in City Council, amid pushback
The bill would exempt the course from rules meant to prevent erosion. A City Council vote could be delayed by weeks.
3 years ago
Philly’s flood-prone Eastwick neighborhood will finally get custom emergency alerts
In a place where flooding has required residents to be rescued by boat, the city wants a contractor to develop a better system of emergency alerts.
3 years ago
Hazardous waste storage areas at former refinery site could close within a year
In another sign of transformation at the 1,000-acre site, the last hazardous waste storage areas are expected to formally close within a year.
3 years ago
Pa. announces money to help get dirty diesel trucks out of high-traffic communities
Exhaust from diesel trucks can worsen heart and lung issues, and even cause cancer. A new Pa. grant program will help replace them with electric vehicles.
3 years ago