Congressman Brad Carson meets with Tar Creek area residents

(Picher-AP) -- Residents of the Tar Creek Superfund site have told Representative Brad Carson that they want the government to move them out. <br><br>Carson, an Oklahoma Democrat, told several hundred

Wednesday, April 23rd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Picher-AP) -- Residents of the Tar Creek Superfund site have told Representative Brad Carson that they want the government to move them out.

Carson, an Oklahoma Democrat, told several hundred people who attended a meeting Tuesday night at Picher-Cardin High School that his hunch is residents must be removed from the site to keep them safe.

Carson says residents must help convince Oklahoma's senators to pursue those plans.

The region is plagued by lead-contaminated mine waste, acid mine waste that's turned Tar Creek orange, open mine shafts and cave-ins. Children in the Superfund site have shown elevated levels of lead in their blood.

Many residents who spoke endorsed the idea of a buyout or relation.

Carson says most of the funding for such a move would have to come from the federal government and that would take Oklahoma's congressional delegation working together.