Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Jessica Shirley along with Senator Gene Yaw, Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter, Lycoming County Commissioner Scott Metzger, and Jason Fink, President/CEO of the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce visited the new Williamsport Lumber Yards ballfield complex to highlight the success of an Act 2 Land Recycling Program project in the City of Williamsport, which transformed a former landfill into a new regional sports tourism destination. DEP’s technical review was supported by staff funded through the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA).
“This location was an eyesore and a hazard right in the heart of Williamsport, and now
it’s an amazing baseball field and sports complex made possible in part thanks to funds
from the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act,” said Secretary Shirley. “Not only do those
funds help protect public health and the environment, but they also help turn
unproductive and contaminated sites into vibrant businesses and recreational spaces —
like new ballfields in a community known for baseball.”
The Williamsport Lumber Yards recently opened for its inaugural season and has begun
hosting its first travel ball tournaments and youth clinics. The complex features six
lighted synthetic turf fields, a collegiate-sized field, modern concessions, and hospitality
spaces. It is anticipated to be a significant driver of economic activity for the regional
hospitality industry.
The 28-acre site was an unregulated landfill in operation from approximately 1960 to
1978, where a variety of waste streams — including hazardous waste, hospital waste,
septic tank waste, and incineration residue — were disposed of. Portions of the site
were later used by a construction services company and for storage of road salt and
cinders.
Cleanup and remediation activities undertaken at the site through the Act 2 Land
Recycling Program included: soil sample collection and analysis; removal of four
underground storage tanks; engineered controls, including a soil cap and vapor
mitigation barrier to eliminate future pathways of exposure to visitors; and the future
implementation of an environmental covenant to ensure proper long-term stewardship
of the property.
