Oklahoma’s Tar Creek Superfund site is one of 21 sites on a newly-released list targeted for immediate and intense attention from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt released the list in direct response to the Superfund Task Force Recommendations issued this past summer.
“By elevating these sites, we are sending a message that EPA is, in fact, restoring its Superfund program to its rightful place at the center of the Agency’s mission,” said Pruitt. “Getting toxic land sites cleaned up and revitalized is of the utmost importance to the communities across the country that are affected by these sites.”
He said he has charged the Task Force with the immediate development of plans for each of the sites and to have they “thoughtfully addressed with urgency.”
The EPA describes the Tar Creek site, where former lead and zinc mining occurred in Ottawa County, as “one of the nation’s most complex” sites. The cleanup of the site and the buyout of homes and businesses in Picher and Cardin also sparked a recent lawsuit against the state of Oklahoma for not releasing a critical audit report originally ordered sealed by Pruitt when he was Oklahoma Attorney General.
In making the announcement, the agency said that in developing the initial list, the EPA considered sites that will benefit from Pruitt’s “direct engagement” and also have identifiable actions to protect human health and the environment. The agency explained the list was designed to spur action at sites where opportunities exist to act quickly and comprehensively.