Jacks Creek/Sitkin Smelting & Refining, Inc.

Overview

Sitkin Smelting and Refining, Inc. ran a smelting and precious metals reclamation facility on this 115-acre property in rural Mifflin County, Pennsylvania from 1958 to 1977. Operations contaminated soil, groundwater, and creek sediments with hazardous chemicals. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in October 1989.

Eleven contaminants of concern have been identified, mostly metals tied to smelting: beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, selenium, silver, and zinc. The site also contains polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated dioxins. These were found across soil, sediment, sludge, and debris. People can be exposed through ingestion, skin contact, or eating contaminated fish from the adjacent stretch of Jacks Creek.

Cleanup work included excavating highly contaminated soil, capping waste piles with a multi-layer engineered cap, dredging contaminated creek sediment, removing underground storage tanks, demolishing buildings, restoring the floodplain and wetlands, and installing a stormwater management system. Removal work happened in two phases, in 1991 to 1992 and again in 1996. The final remedy was selected in 1997 and remedial construction finished in December 2004. The remedy was adjusted several times through formal documents called Explanations of Significant Differences, in 2001, 2004, and 2012, to refine the approach as work progressed. EPA determined that human exposure is under control across the entire site and that groundwater migration is stabilized. The site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in May 2015. A metal scrap yard and aluminum recycling facility now operate on part of the property, employing 39 people as of December 2024.

Fish consumption advisories remain in place for bluegill, rock bass, and fallfish in the portion of Jacks Creek next to the site. Advisories for brown trout and white sucker were lifted in December 2009. Institutional controls restrict residential development and limit groundwater use. The potentially responsible party conducts quarterly inspections and long-term groundwater monitoring. Five-year reviews confirm cleanup effectiveness on a regular schedule, with the most recent review completed in March 2026.

Community members can review site documents at the Mifflin County Library in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, or at the U.S. EPA Region 3 Public Reading Room in Philadelphia, where appointments are required. Fact sheets dating back to 1998 and public notices from 1997 and 2011 are also available. For questions, community members can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.