State officials don't want children living in parts of Picher, Oklahoma

Oklahoma's Department of Environmental Quality wants to make it illegal for young children to live in some parts of Picher, Oklahoma. <br><br>City officials are rejecting the suggestion. The former

Friday, February 15th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Oklahoma's Department of Environmental Quality wants to make it illegal for young children to live in some parts of Picher, Oklahoma.

City officials are rejecting the suggestion. The former lead and zinc mining town is in the Tar Creek Superfund site, where lead-laced mountains of gravel dominate the landscape.

The DEQ is asking city officials to prohibit families with children under six years of age from living on property that has not been cleared of lead. The suggested ordinance would mean a thousand dollar fine for anyone who lives on lead-contaminated property. And families would be forced to move without compensation.

The Picher city attorney believes the ordinance would be unconstitutional.