Funds Running Low For Tar Creek Buyout

Thursday, September 13th 2007, 8:42 am

By: News On 6

PICHER, Okla. (AP) _ Officials say there is only enough money left to buy out 38 more homes in the contaminated Tar Creek Superfund area in Ottawa County in northeastern Oklahoma. The federal government approved funding for the buyouts after a report in 2006 showed hundreds of homes and businesses are in danger of caving in.

Officials with the Lead-Impacted Communities Relocation Assistance Trust that's overseeing the buyout says there have been 149 buyout offers made so far. Of those offers 120 have been accepted, five rejected and the others are pending.

Trust operations manager Larry Roberts says officials are waiting for $30 million to be authorized by federal Water Resources Development Act.

But President Bush is threatening to veto the funding even though Senator Jim Inhofe believes he has enough votes to override a veto.

Related Stories:

10/3/2006 Group Gets Buyout Requests From Tar Creek Area

10/15/2006 Residents Of Mine-Polluted Ottawa County Town Preparing For Buyout

11/13/2006 Officials To Give Tar Creek Buyout Information

12/19/2006 Appraisals Begin For Tar Creek Federal Buyout

2/12/2007 Voters Deciding Fate Of School District

2/12/2007 Tar Creek Trust Says Land Was Given Away

3/3/2007 Oklahoma Town Is A Toxic Waste Site

4/7/2007 Delay In Offers, Low Assessments Worry Some Tar Creek Residents

5/10/2007 Tar Creek Buyout Continues Amid Funding Concerns

5/18/2007 Tar Creek Pollution Called Regional Problem

6/30/2007 Former Lawmaker To Lead Tar Creek Trust

8/2/2007 Coburn Criticizes Spending Priorities On Water Projects Bill

8/28/2007 EPA Presents Plan For Latest Phase To Clean Up Superfund Site