Tar Creek Panel Setting Buyout Procedure

Wednesday, August 2nd 2006, 6:08 am

By: News On 6

PICHER, Okla. (AP) -- Residents started filling out applications for a federal buyout of homes and businesses within the mining-tainted Tar Creek area in northeastern Oklahoma.

About 90 minutes into the first meeting of the trust overseeing the buyout, Tuesday night's meeting stopped after the trust chairman announced the availability of the applications.

The trust still managed to take care of some business, setting a September 30th deadline to accept buyout applications from residents in and around Cardin, Hockerville and Picher. More applications will be available beginning Friday in Picher.

The trust is designed to move people out of one of the oldest and most-complicated environmental cleanups in the nation.

The board was in charge of a state buyout of homes with children age six or under. The state Legislature reconstituted its board to allow the group to perform the same function for the federal program.

Waste piles from lead and zinc mining, open mineshafts and caved-in land dot the area.