- NEW! Public health assessment, Occurrence of Selected Health Conditions in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, September 2008 (PDF, 1.30 MB)
Ottawa County residents are concerned that the rate of certain diseases and illnesses in their county may be higher than state or national rates. This public health assessment provides residents with scientific information about the health status of their community. - NEW! Fact sheet for the Public Health Assessment, Selected Health Conditions in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, September 2008 (PDF, 1.2 MB) This fact sheet summarizes the findings and recommendations of ATSDR's Public Health Assessment, Occurrence of Selected Health Conditions in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, September 2008.
- NEW! ATSDR's Plan for the Tar Creek Superfund Site, September 2008
This plan was created in 2006, to address nine public health concerns at the Tar Creek Superfund Site in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. The status of each activity is updated. - Tar Creek Superfund Site ATSDR Report to Congress Summary Fact Sheet, November 2004
From September 2003 to May 2004, ATSDR staff reviewed blood lead and environmental data from the Ottawa County Health Department, the Oklahoma State Department of Health, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ATSDR's purpose was to define the extent of lead exposure among children in the Tar Creek area and to identify potential sources and pathways of exposure. - Report to Congress, Tar Creek Superfund Site, October 2004
ATSDR developed a Report to Congress to assess the level of lead poisoning in families, and especially in children living at or near the Tar Creek Superfund Site in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. - ATSDR Activities at the Tar Creek Superfund Site, March 2004 [PDF, 172 KB]
ATSDR is committed to addressing the public health concerns of the communities affected by the Tar Creek Superfund Site. ATSDR will evaluate available environmental data, health effects data, and community health concerns. ATSDR will develop recommendations to address community concerns about exposure to hazardous substances and other potential hazards.
Background Information
The Tar Creek Superfund Site is located in Northeastern Oklahoma (Ottawa County), near the Oklahoma-Kansas state line (Figure 1). The site comprises a 40-square mile area and includes the communities of Picher, Cardin, Hockerville, Quapaw, North Miami, and Commerce. From the early 1900s through the late 1970s, Northeastern Oklahoma was mined extensively for lead and zinc ore. The milling process for these materials produced waste mine tailings, known locally as “chat.” Over the years, the mining companies disposed of the chat by collecting it into large aboveground piles, and by dumping it into flotation or tailing ponds.
ATSDR Activities
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) released the Public Health Assessment, Occurrence of Selected Health Conditions in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. The assessment addresses health issues relevant to the Tar Creek Superfund Site, including those concerning children and also cancer. The public health assessment (PHA) and a summary fact sheet can be downloaded from the Selected Resources section below.
In November 2006, ATSDR and OSDH hosted public meetings in Miami, Oklahoma, to present their findings from the PHA and to unveil ATSDR’s plan for the Tar Creek Superfund site. The final version of the PHA is now being released after receiving, responding to, and incorporating public comments.
ATSDR and OSDH have encouraged concerned citizens and community groups to participate in the health assessment process. In June 2006, ATSDR held an official tribal consultation with leaders and environmental staff from many of the American Indian nations in the area to address the possible effect on tribal members. From these meetings and those with Local Environmental Action Demanded (L.E.A.D) Agency, a local environmental group, ATSDR developed a plan to investigate such concerns. The plan describes how ATSDR will address nine public health activities at the site and includes the status of each activity. This plan can be downloaded from the Selected Resources section below.
In October 2004, ATSDR released a Report to Congress about the Tar Creek Superfund Site, which assessed trends in children’s lead levels in the area and presented recommendations about how to protect public health.
Selected Resources
ATSDR has released the following documents about the Tar Creek Superfund Site:
Update September 30, 2008
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1825 Century Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30345 CDC Contact Center: 800-232-4636 / TTY: 888-232-6348
