Carlisle, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Jessica Shirley, local, and county officials highlighted the success of an Act 2 Land Recycling Program project at the former site of the Masland/IAC, Carlisle Tire and Wheel and Tyco industrial sites in Carlisle, Cumberland County, where a shuttered industrial site was transformed into housing, a green space, a hotel, and retail. DEP’s technical review was performed by staff funded through the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act (HSCA).
“Revitalizing this corner of Carlisle into this thriving space represents what happens when community leaders, planning organizations, and the public reimagine how former industrial sites can be transformed into something new,” said Secretary Shirley. “When these industrial sites closed in Carlisle, that’s when these leaders thoughtfully planned for the future, and what could be possible. Thanks to HSCA funded DEP staff from the Land Recycling Program, what was once a 63-acre maze of buildings, and then contamination has been redeveloped into an important community asset.”
The 2026-27 budget, signed by Governor Josh Shapiro included a one-time $20 million transfer 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.
Since 2023, the Shapiro Administration has invested more than $100 million to support more than 800 completed Act 2 cleanups and investigations, and remediation projects at more than 150 hazardous sites to protect public health, restore communities, and create new opportunities for economic growth across Pennsylvania.
"None of this, the housing, the hotel, the restaurant opening soon, happens without the Hazardous Site Cleanup Fund,” said Janet Anderson, Executive Director of the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation. “It's the difference between a site staying dormant and becoming an economic asset. We're grateful to PA DEP for keeping that promise to communities like Carlisle."
"The redevelopment of the former IAC/Masland property is one of the most significant transformation projects in Carlisle in recent years," said Sean Shultz, Mayor of the Borough of Carlisle. "What was once a vacant, polluted industrial site is becoming a thriving mixed-use destination with new housing, hospitality, dining, and commercial opportunities. We thank the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and its Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program for their support in making this redevelopment possible. Their investment has helped return this property to productive use and create lasting benefits for our residents, businesses, and local economy."
The area has come a long way in a short time period. For close to 90 years, the properties were home to a complex of industrial buildings and infrastructure, manufacturing a range of products including automotive components, tires, and electronics. When operations closed at each in the late 2000s, the spaces sat vacant, and a 10-alarm fire damaged the largest site in 2010. Remediation to improve community safety and public health began in 2010 and future development was considered. The site is now mostly built out with affordable single-family townhomes, apartments reserved for veterans housing, neighborhood serving commercial uses, a community center, a public park, a hotel, and retail space
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. Through DEP’s efforts, the site now meets Pennsylvania’s rigorous environmental standards and is safe for public use.
Throughout the process, the remediators and developers for the area employed a strategy of inclusivity, transparency, education, and careful design. The result is an entire neighborhood of attractive, functional, and community-centered spaces that breathe life into a formerly blighted area.
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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