Survey finds support for relocation, buyout in Tar Creek area

Picher - A survey of Picher residents finds a majority favor either a buyout or relocation away from the Tar Creek Superfund site in northeast Oklahoma. <br><br>The survey of nearly 700 Picher water customers

Friday, March 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Picher - A survey of Picher residents finds a majority favor either a buyout or relocation away from the Tar Creek Superfund site in northeast Oklahoma.

The survey of nearly 700 Picher water customers produced almost 500 responses.

Two hundred favor a buyout plan, 113 residents prefer relocation and 113 say they don't prefer either option.

Picher Mayor Sam Freeman says he'll deliver the results of the survey to Governor Keating.

The Tar Creek area has been declared a Superfund cleanup site because of contamination from past mining operations in the area. A buyout or cleanup plan would require federal approval.