Solar co-ops, Delaware wins River of the Year, and Abington air quality concerns.

The latest in sustainability news:

Pennsylvania’s 2025 River of the Year is…(drumroll please)… The Delaware! The Delaware River received the most votes at 2,962 out of the 8,037 who participated in public voting. As a result, the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition will be awarded a $15k grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Organization for Waterways and Rivers to fund year-long celebrations and stewardship activities. 

Local solar co-ops are taking steps to make clean energy more feasible for homeowners. The Cumberland-Dauphin Solar Co-op is one of many co-ops throughout the Commonwealth that help local households go solar through access to group pricing and a network of experts. Recently, they announced a partnership with the Bucks County-based company Exact Solar, which will provide new solar installations for member-households. 

Is North Philly’s air quality being impacted by the nearby Abington fire? Concerns about environmental health impacts from a fire that has been burning in Abington Township since Monday are compounded by the possible presence of toxic chemicals at the site. Amid school closures and voluntary evacuations, DEP and City officials closely monitoring the area have not indicated any public health threats from poor air quality or contaminated water so far. The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Cover photo: VISIT PHILADELPHIA®