Sophia Schmidt
Sophia Schmidt is a Delaware native, and 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.
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Government forecasters are predicting a near normal Atlantic hurricane season this year. From the WHYY News Climate Desk, Sophia Schmidt reports. -
The EPA released a proposal last Thursday to limit planet-warming emissions from power plants. From the WHYY News Climate Desk, Sophia Schmidt reports it’s expected to cut down pollution in Pennsylvania.
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Even before a chemical spill on the Delaware River threatened to contaminate part of Philadelphia’s drinking water this spring — many people did not trust the city’s water.
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Philadelphia dodged a threat to its drinking water from a chemical spill. But Sophia Schmidt of WHYY’s PlanPhilly reports there’s a longer-term risk to the city’s water supply: climate change.
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Philadelphia officials say no contamination from the chemical spill off the Delaware River has been found in the city’s water supply — but testing and monitoring continues.
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Pennsylvania utility regulators are asking customers of Philadelphia Gas Works about a tool the company uses to even out its revenue during abnormal weather. At a hearing Thursday morning, WHYY’s Sophia Schmidt reports customers painted it as a climate change penalty.
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Philadelphia has released a plan to increase the city’s tree coverage over the next ten years. Sophia Schmidt of WHYY’s PlanPhilly reports.
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An effort to reduce the number of birds that die crashing into buildings in Philadelphia appears to be working. Sophia Schmidt of WHYY’s PlanPhilly reports.
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The FBI thwarted an alleged plot to disable Baltimore's electric grid. WHYY’s Sophia Schmidt reports Philly’s electric utility says it’s already taking precautions against similar threats.
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Illegal dumping has been a problem in Philadelphia for decades. The city spends millions each year on cleanups — but discarded tires, mattresses, and construction debris still pile up in neighborhoods.
