Philadelphia, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Jessica Shirley and local officials highlighted the success of an Act 2 Land Recycling Program project at Bridesburg Riverfront Park, now known as the Robert A. Borski Jr. Park, where a heavy industrial site was transformed into a vibrant public park and environmentally restored riverfront community destination. DEP’s technical review was performed by staff funded through the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA).
“The Robert A. Borski Jr. Park represents a powerful example of transforming Pennsylvania’s industrial legacy into a community asset and a safe space for residents to enjoy,” said Secretary Shirley. “For decades, this site along the Delaware River in Philadelphia was a heavily used industrial property - first for oil manufacturing, then for concrete and asphalt production. Thanks to HSCA funded DEP staff from the Land Recycling Program, that same 10-acre property is being redeveloped into a beautiful, vibrant public park, turning a once underutilized and contaminated space into an important asset.”
Governor Josh Shapiro has proposed a one-time $20 million transfer in the 2026–27 budget proposal to support HSCA, which will help continue the critical state-led site investigations and remediation projects, and begin the conversation that finding a permanent funding source is critical to the environment and human health.
"Borski Park would not be possible without the Hazardous Site Cleanup Program. We are grateful to the PA DEP for recognizing the potential of this land as a benefit to the community and the ecology of the Delaware River” said Riverfront North Partnership Executive Director Stephanie Phillips. “It has brought the riverfront back to life."
"Years ago, this was a brownfield that was so overgrown and polluted you couldn’t see the river, let alone want to lay out a blanket and enjoy the view," said Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson. "Today, though, Robert A. Borski, Jr. Park is a beautiful park that gives residents access to fresh air, spaces to move their bodies joyfully, and places where they can be part of the community. Our goal is to make sure that residents thrive, not just survive. Thanks to the state’s Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program and Fund, that is not just a pipe dream: it is a reality."
The park has come a long way from its days of heavy industrial use. In the 1900s, the site was an oil manufacturing facility. By the 1940s, oil operations ceased, and a concrete and asphalt manufacturing facility operated for several decades. At this time there was extensive industrial activity with materials being processed on-site and residual concrete being washed off trucks and discharged into the Delaware River. The site was abandoned in the late 1980s and in May 2000 was acquired by the City of Philadelphia through the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID). At this time, the site was primarily used for vehicle storage and repairs. The City of Philadelphia began plans to redevelop the site into a public park. In September 2018, DEP received a Notice of Intent to Remediate from the Parks & Recreation Department.
Before remediation efforts began the land experienced environmental challenges and limited community value. While these conditions did not make redevelopment impossible, they required careful planning, scientific evaluation, and targeted cleanup to ensure the site would be safe for public use. This was made possible by the Act 2 program that HSCA helps fund.
Cleanup and remediation activities undertaken at the site through the Act 2 program included: soil remediation, removal of contaminated soils, excavation of lead-impacted soils exceeding health standards, proper off-site disposal at licensed facilities, installation of clean soil caps (over two feet thick in some areas), and construction of an impermeable geomembrane liner beneath stormwater infrastructure.
Through DEP’s efforts, the site now meets Pennsylvania’s rigorous environmental standards and is safe for public use. Redevelopment of the land has already delivered new walking trails, green space, stormwater management improvements, habitat restoration and native plantings, and public access to the Delaware River.
The HSCA program conducts initial investigations into land and water pollution to identify responsible parties. When none can be found, HSCA funding supports cleanup solutions such as land remediation and water treatment. The program also drives economic development by supporting redevelopment through Pennsylvania’s Act 2 program, which has approved 13,688 cleanups across all 67 counties since 1995.
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