DCED Announces $500,000 Grant For Environmental Cleanup At Former Rail Yard in Lackawanna County

On July 29, Gov.. Tom Wolf announced the approval of new funding through the Industrial Sites Reuse Program to the Lackawanna Valley Heritage Authority for environmental remediation at the former Railroad Rail Yard in Carbondale Township, Lackawanna County.

“My administration is committed to revitalizing unused spaces and bringing them back to new, productive life, which this funding will help to accomplish in Carbondale,” said Gov. Wolf. “ISRP funding brings new opportunities to communities by improving quality of life, protecting our land and environment, and creating jobs.”

The Lackawanna Valley Heritage Authority was awarded $487,500 in ISRP funding for the environmental remediation of a four-acre portion of land, out of 12 acres currently owned by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, at the former Railroad Rail Yard. 

The site is in a mixed commercial and residential area. The land has already undergone a Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessment that determined it contained impacted soils including heavy metal (lead). 

A total of 3,500 tons of impacted soil has been identified. The funding will support limited site characterization and the excavation and off-site disposal of impacted soils. Once the soil has been excavated and removed, attainment sampling will be performed before backfilling the excavation. The 12-acre parcel will be purchased by a developer and leased to Sheetz, Inc.

“The investments we make today to support revitalization efforts will ultimately bring new life and jobs to the region for years to come,” said Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin. “Our continued support through ISRP will ensure that Pennsylvania remains the best place to live, work, and play.”

The ISRP provides loans and grants for environmental assessments and remediation carried out by eligible applicants who did not cause or contribute to the contamination. The program is designed to foster the cleanup of environmental contamination at industrial sites, thereby bringing blighted land into productive reuse.

“Cleaning up sites like these puts them back in productive use for Pennsylvania’s people and our economy. It’s one of the best ways to foster economic development and improve our environment at the same time,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell.

For more information on this program, visit the Industrial Sites Reuse Program webpage.

Related Articles:

-- DCED, DEP: Invests $520,000 To Clean Up Ashley Rail Yard, Assess Fmr International Color Printing Plant In Luzerne County 

-- DCED Announces $37,500 Grant For Aliquippa’s East End Redevelopment Site Environmental Assessment

[Posted: July 29, 2021]  PA Environment Digest