The Pain OF Picher

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The buyout and relocation of families from the Tar Creek Superfund Site in Northeast Oklahoma is the culmination of more than 30 years of struggle for the people of Picher and Cardin. The Picher Mining Field, one of the richest lead and zinc deposits in the world, was the site of intense underground mining nearly 100 years ago. The mining took place during a time when environmental regulations were virtually non-existent. When the mining companies ceased operations in the 1970s, the region was left with an uncertain legacy of pollution problems that impacted the health of local residents. Children were especially vulnerable to a toxic mix of heavy metals. The lead-poisoning rate among children at one time was as high as 30 percent. A $100 million effort by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to remove lead from residential yards damaged many homes. The region¹s status as a Superfund site further devalued properties. A recent federal study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found that large areas in Picher and Cardin could collapse at any time. That finding triggered the $50 million buyout of more than 700 properties that is now under way.

Channel: News & Politics
Uploaded: February 18, 2008 at 8:12 am
Author: jcruzan

Length: 0:09:30
Rating: 4.50
Views: 3,522

Tags: Joplin Globe Picher Oklahoma Lead Zinc Contamination

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Video Comments:
tyla140 (Monday 12th of May 2008 04:44:04 PM)
This town died Saturday,May 11th. Goodbye Picher,we'll miss you.
B3th4nyluvsc000kii3s (Friday 16th of May 2008 11:57:49 AM)
do you lived in picher or something
tyla140 (Friday 16th of May 2008 01:44:22 PM)
No, I was close to it though. A LOT of people I knew lost thier homes and there are3 most likely more people dead:(
fatimafeb25 (Tuesday 26th of August 2008 10:39:45 AM)
i use to live in picher, i was one of what ppl called us, a chat rat., this town was like no other, we looked out for each other.