The Jack's Creek/Sitkin Smelting Site is located one-half mile east of the town of Maitland in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. This 105-acre site is a former non-ferrous metal smelting and precious metal reclamation facility, located partially within the 100-year floodplain of Jack’s Creek. The various activities conducted on the site resulted in soils and groundwater contaminated with toxic concentrations of a variety of metals, including cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, and zinc. Due to this contamination, most of the site cannot support vegetation. Soils have eroded off the site and into Jack’s Creek. At least 5 acres of wetlands and 37 acres of upland migratory bird habitat have been destroyed or contaminated by site activities.
This case was settled in 1995 for $128,908. The amount available for restoration in the 2000 Restoration Plan was $135,000. Two restoration projects were completed at nearby Elsesser Farm and Musser Run. The Elsesser Farm project included the creation of emergent, shrub/scrub and forested wetlands along with native grass plantings in uplands. The Musser Run project involved streambank stabilization and floodplain wetland creation. Maintenance of the habitats was included in the conservation easements. Projects were completed in 2002 and 2017, respectively. Funds from the settlements have been exhausted