U.S. EPA Region 6
Tar Creek Superfund Site
Ottawa County, Oklahoma
Community Involvement Plan
Update
November 2014
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Contents
Introduction 4
1.1 Site Description 4
1.2 Community Background 4
1.3 Community Involvement Action Plan 4
1.4 Appendices 4
Site Description 5
2.1 Site Description and History 5
2.2 Cleanup activities improve health and support local economy 6
2.2.1 Memorandum of Understanding for Interagency Cooperation 7
2.3 Cleanup Activities 8
2.3.1 OU1: Surface Water/Ground Water 8
2.3.2 OU2: Residential Areas 8
2.3.3 OU3: Eagle-Picher Office Complex 10
2.3.4 OU4: Mine and Mill Waste, and Smelter Waste 10
2.3.5 OU5: Sediments 11
2.3.6 Quapaw Tribe Performing Catholic 40 Cleanup 11
2.4 Five-year reviews 12
Community Background 14
3.1 Community Profile 14
3.2 History of Community Involvement 14
3.3 Key Community Concerns 15
3.4 Response to Community Concerns 16
EPA's Community Involvement Program 17
4.1 The Plan 17
4.1.1 Community Involvement Objectives 17
4.1.2 Ongoing Interaction with Community Members 17
4.1.3 Public Meetings and Community/Stakeholders meetings 17
4.1.4 Fact Sheets 18
4.1.5 Toll Free Superfund Hotline 18
4.1.6 Mailing List 18
4.1.7 Information Repositories 18
4.1.8 Site and Superfund information on the Internet 18
4.1.9 Establish and maintain the Administrative Record 19
4.1.10 Public Comment Period 19
4.1.11 Public Notices 19
4.1.12 Responsiveness Summary 19
4.1.13 Technical Assistance Grant 19
4.1.14 Schedule of Community Involvement Activities 20
4.1.15 Revision of the Community Involvement Plan 20
Appendices 21
Appendix A Blood Lead Level Reductions in Ottawa County Children 22
Appendix B Superfund Job Training Initiative (Super JTI) 25
Appendix C Traffic Safety Outreach in the Community 28
Appendix D Chat Activities Removal Fact Sheet 34
Appendix E History of Community Involvement 39
History of Community Involvement 40
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Appendix F Points of Contact 45
EPA Regional Contacts 46
Federal and State Officials 47
Local Officials and Organizations 48
Tribal Representatives 49
Local and Regional News Media 50
Appendix G Superfund Glossary 51
Superfund Glossary 52
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Introduction
Under the federal Superfund program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been conducting
investigations and implementing cleanup actions at the Tar Creek Superfund Site in Ottawa County,
Oklahoma for over three decades. The Superfund Community Involvement Program is committed to
promoting communication between stakeholders, the public and the Agency. Having the public informed,
engaged and involved are crucial to the success of any public project. This promotes effective participation
and communication in the decision making process and a realistic expectation of the work that will be
performed during the implementation of the remedy.
The goals of EPA's community involvement program at the Tar Creek Superfund Site are to:
Inform stakeholders and the public about the nature of environmental issues associated with the
site;
Involve stakeholders and the public in the decision-making process by listening to their concerns and
ideas, addressing them; and inviting them to help us solve major issues; and
Keep the public informed of the progress being made to implement site remedies.
This plan also showcases results of efforts such as the reduction of blood lead levels from 21.5% in 1997 to
0% in 2013; chat sales to benefit the community; the use of job training for the community; and, work done
with the stakeholders and the community to increase safer roads.
EPA had drawn on a wide variety of information sources to develop this CIP. Efforts included community
interviews, discussions with stakeholders, the press, and historic site files. This latest CIP update will continue
to promote communication between the stakeholders, public, and EPA and encourage community
involvement in site activities. EPA will implement the community involvement activities outlined in this plan
to ensure that stakeholders are continuously informed about site activities and provided opportunities to be
involved in the decision-making process.
This CIP Update covers the following material:
1.1 Site Description
This section provides a brief description of the site and history, including key contamination issues and
cleanup efforts completed or underway.
1.2 Community Background
The section presents a profile of the community, an in-depth look at the community's concerns about
environmental issues and ways they prefer to learn about site activities and become involved in the
decision-making process.
1.3 Community Involvement Action Plan
The action plan describes activities EPA will implement to engage and involve the community, tools and
techniques to achieve community involvement goals and the schedule for community involvement activities.
1.4 Appendices
Located at the end of this document, the appendices include information on the Superfund Job Training
Initiative (SuperJTI), the history of community involvement activities, community safety, key EPA and
community contacts, and a glossary.
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Site Description
2.1 Site Description and History
The Tar Creek Superfund Site is located in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. The site is the Oklahoma portion of
the former Tri-State Mining Area which extended from northeast Oklahoma, through southeast Kansas, to
Southwest Missouri (Figure 1).
The Tar Creek Superfund Site has no clearly defined boundaries, but consists of the areas of Ottawa County
impacted by mining waste. The site covers approximately 40 square miles in Ottawa County and includes the
towns of Miami, North Miami, Quapaw, and Commerce. The towns of Picher and Cardin also were part of
the site, but were dissolved as part of a residential relocation and buyout effort, which is discussed in
further detail in the Community Background section.
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. Mine and mill wastes found at the site are typically located
adjacent to the former mines concentrated near the former town of Picher, but are also scattered
throughout the rest of Ottawa County.
Today, land uses include agriculture, residential, light industry, commercial activities or businesses, and
recreational and tourism uses, with agriculture being the dominant land use.
Extensive lead and zinc mining began in the early 1900s. Mining ceased in the region by 1970. With few
exceptions, the crude ore produced at the site was mined using underground mining methods. In order for
the mines to operate, groundwater from the Boone aquifer was continually pumped out of the mines. When
the mines closed and pumping stopped, the mines began refilling with groundwater. The metal bearing
minerals, which had reacted with oxygen during mining, were more soluble than they had been. This led to
the formation of highly mineralized acid mine water when groundwater returned to the previously pumped
areas.
The Tar Creek site first came to the attention of the State of Oklahoma and EPA in 1979, when acid mine
water began to discharge from mine shafts and bore holes to Tar Creek, a small stream that runs from
Kansas through the Oklahoma mining area and the City of Miami, discharging into the Neosho River. Mine
water discharges have severely impacted Tar Creek as an aquatic warm water habitat. The acid mine water
has contaminated the shallow groundwater and surface water in the area with iron, sulfate, lead, and
cadmium.
These problems and the potential for mine water contamination of the deeper Roubidoux aquifer, the area's
public water supply, via abandoned un-plugged deep water supply wells prompted the formation in 1980 of
Governor Frank Keating's Tar Creek Superfund Task Force to study the acid mine impacts. On July 27, 1981,
EPA proposed to have the Site added to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) based on information
from the Task Force's investigations. The NPL is a listing of sites with known or threatened releases of
hazardous substances, pollutants, or containments throughout the United States and its territories that is
compiled by EPA pursuant Section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA).
After completion of a remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) showed elevated concentrations of
metals (cadmium, lead and zinc) in the mined areas of Ottawa County, the Site was added to the NPL on
September 8, 1983.
For more than 30 years, EPA has been conducting investigations and implementing remedies to address
contaminated soil, surface water, sediments and groundwater. Due to the complex nature of contamination
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associated with the Site, remediation has been handled through various removal response actions and
remedial actions (RAs). Cleanup activities are often focused into specific portions of the site or types of
environmental media, referred to as Operable Units, or OUs. OU is a term for each of a number of separate
activities undertaken as part of a Superfund site cleanup. The cleanup activities performed for the Tar Creek
site include:
Plugging abandoned wells and constructing dikes to reduce acid mine drainage to Tar Creek and
protect the Roubidoux aquifer, a drinking water source, from contamination (OU1).
Removing contaminated soils from more than 2,576 properties including residential yards, buyout
properties, parks, schools, alleyways and driveways (OU2).
Removing mining chemicals abandoned in a facility once owned by Eagle Picher, one of the mining
companies that had operated in the area (OU3).
Removing chat, a lead-contaminated byproduct of mining activities, from properties and facilitating
the sale of marketable chat. Cleaning up mine and mill residue, smelter waste, and flotation ponds
(OU4).
Examining the nature and extent of contaminated sediments in Elm Creek and Tar Creek and their
tributaries and other streams found within the Site (OU5).
2.2 Cleanup activities improve health and support local
economy
concentrations exceeding 10 ng/'dL, and that 13.4 percent (9 of 67) of the children tested in Quapaw had
blood lead levels which exceeded 10 ng/dL. EPA undertook immediate action to address contaminated soil
in the residential yards, driveways and alleyways, schools, and parks that comprise OU2, and blood lead
levels of children living on the site have decreased dramatically. A report by the Agency for Toxic Substances
and Disease Registry (ATSDR) showed that children between the ages of 1 and 5 living at the Tar Creek site
who had a blood lead level in excess of the 10jig/dL level decreased from 31.2% in 1996 to 2.8% in 2003. For
Tar Creek, the percentage of children screened with elevated blood lead levels declined from 12.6% in 1997
to 0% in 2013. More information on this accomplishment is contained in Appendix A.
Finally, to acknowledge the positive impact the OU2 cleanup has had on public health, EPA coordinated a
Milestone Recognition Event on September 22, 2014. The event recognized the efforts of the cities and
towns, including Miami, Afton, Commerce, Fairland, Narcissa, North Miami, Peoria, Quapaw and Wyandotte,
groups and individuals who participated in the OU2 clean-up. More than 50 people attended, including
members of local news media. The event received national news media coverage. The event also marked
the accomplishments of the ODEQ and EPA's combined efforts and passed the leadership of the project on
to the State of Oklahoma. The state will take the lead in the project at this point with continuation of
Public health and the local economy have directly
benefitted from Superfund activities in Ottawa
County.
Children playing on a chat pile at the Tar Creek site.
Children's rapidly developing nervous systems are
particularly sensitive to the effects of lead. Lead
exposure can harm children's mental
development. Blood lead tests conducted in
August 1996 and September 1996 found that 38.3
percent (31 of 81) of the children tested in the
community of Picher had blood lead
concentrations exceeding 10 micrograms per
deciliter ([ig/dL), that 62.5 percent (10 of 16) of
the children tested in Cardin had blood lead
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federal funds to complete any further remediation needed. EPA will continue oversight of the 40 acre
Superfund Site cleanup.
Along with improving children's health, EPA's cleanup efforts have benefitted the local economy through
facilitation of chat sales and job creation. As part of the RA planning process for chat found in piles and
bases on rural properties throughout the site, the chat is sampled and the results shared with potential chat
buyers through a "chat sales website," and directly with known local chat purchasers. No property or owner
details are shared by EPA with potential chat buyers either directly or through the website. If a potential
chat buyer lets EPA know they have an interest in buying the chat, EPA notifies the owner with the potential
chat buyer's contact information, and at that point it is up to the chat owner to negotiate a sale (EPA does
not get involved in chat sales).
Once a sale is negotiated and remediation activities have begun at the property, EPA will transport locally
the purchased chat to the buyer without charge. The remainder of the chat not sold and other source
materials on the property are transported by EPA to the Central Mill Repository located on East 40 Road.
Many factors are considered by chat purchasers when determining whether to buy chat, how much of the
chat to buy, and what price to pay, including the results of a sieve analysis, specific gravity, lead content, and
presence of vegetation or other debris in the chat. The characterization process was determined by EPA
with input from chat purchasers to ensure they would have the information they need to make their
decision. The chat buyer also typically has a representative onsite during the cleanup who will determine
when to discontinue purchasing chat from the property (as the quality of the chat decreases toward the
bottom of a pile or base).
Since the beginning of EPA's cleanup of chat piles and bases under OU4, over 280,000 tons of chat has been
purchased by local chat purchasers and transported by EPA to their locations. Chat owners are paid directly
by the chat purchasers for this chat.
Job creation is another component of this project's positive impact on the local economy. EPA worked with
project contractors to plan and implement the Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) in Northeast
Oklahoma. SuperJTI provides job-readiness training and employment opportunities for underserved citizens
living in communities affected by Superfund sites. The Tar Creek program generated 250 interested
candidates of which 26 were selected for training. A number of graduates were hired by project contractors
and others are awaiting the award of new contracts with hopes of being hired. For more information about
the success of the SuperJTI program at the Tar Creek site see Appendix B.
The OU4 remedial action has provided economic benefits to the local community beyond the sales and
marketing of chat. The local staff utilization on the project is over 75% of the construction labor, and over
98% of the construction subcontract awards have been made to small disadvantaged businesses that are
local to the area. These workers are also helping the local economy by spending funds with local vendors.
Finally, EPA worked with local schools, public officials, other agencies, and the community to put forth a
"Safety First" program for citizens to establish routes for truck traffic during construction phases of the
project. This included signage and a campaign to ensure all citizens were aware of the routes. Please see
Appendix C for more information on this program.
2.2.1 Memorandum of Understanding for Interagency Cooperation
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in May 2003 between the EPA, the DOI, and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers. The Memorandum provides for a coordinated response to environmental
contamination, physical safety concerns (open mine shafts, subsidence, and flooding), and poor economic
conditions at the Tar Creek area. Other participants include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geologic
Survey, the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Tribes.
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2.3 Cleanup Activities
After the site was added to the NPL, EPA and the State of Oklahoma initiated a number of remedial
investigations (Rl) and identified five Operable Units, or OUs, at the Tar Creek site. Under the National
Contingency Plan, an OU is defined as a discrete action that comprises an incremental step towards
comprehensively addressing site problems. This discrete portion of a remedial response manages migration,
or eliminates or mitigates a release, threat of release, or pathway of exposure. A site can be divided into a
number of OUs, depending upon the complexity of problems at the site. OUs typically address a discrete
geographical portion of the site, specific site problems, contaminated media and the initial phase or phases
of action at a site.
The following five OUs have been designated at the Site:
OU1 - surface water/groundwater
OU2 - residential properties and high activity areas such as schools and parks
OU3 - Eagle-Picher Complex - Abandoned Mining Chemicals
OU4 - Chat piles, mine and mill residue, smelter waste, and flotation ponds
OUS - Sediments/Surface Water
The following are brief descriptions of the five OUs at the Site.
2.3.1 OU1: Surface Water/Ground Water
In 1984, EPA issued its first Site Record of Decision (ROD). The 1984 ROD addressed two concerns which are
now referred to as OU1:1) the surface water degradation of Tar Creek, a stream located on the Site, by the
discharge of acid mine water; and 2) the threat of contamination to the Roubidoux Aquifer, a drinking water
source. Pursuant to EPA's 1984 ROD, dikes were constructed to reduce the inflow of surface water to certain
mine shafts on the Site, to reduce the outflow of acid mine drainage from the subsurface to Tar Creek. In
addition, abandoned wells that went through the Boone Aquifer to the deeper Roubidoux formation were
plugged to prevent contamination from the Boone from seeping through cracked well casings and reaching
the Roubidoux, a drinking water source. Abandoned wells that could threaten the Roubidoux are still being
discovered and plugged as part of the After Action Monitoring Program for OU1.
OU 1 - View of the Muncie site dike OU 1 - Admiralty diversion dike
2.3.2 OU2: Residential Areas
In 1994, Indian Health Service test results concerning the blood lead levels of Indian children living on the
Site indicated that approximately 35 percent of the Indian children tested had concentrations of lead in their
blood exceeding 10 micrograms per deciliter ((ig/dL). In August 1994, to address the threat of lead exposure
to children, EPA began sampling soils at High Access Areas (HAAs) on the Site such as day cares, schoolyards,
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and other areas where children congregate, EPA sampled 28 HAAs between August 1994 and October 1994.
The sampling detected significant concentrations of lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals in surface soils.
In March 1995, EPA expanded its sampling activity to include all residences on the Site,
In 1995, EPA began to excavate contaminated soil at HAAs and at Site residences using its removal action
authority. Concurrently, EPA began a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study for Site residential areas,
referred to as Operable Unit 2 (OU2). In 1997, EPA issued a ROD to address contaminated soil in the
residential areas of OU2, Under the removal actions and under the OU2 ROD, EPA has excavated lead-
contaminated soil at approximately 3,000 homes and properties. The properties were remediated at a cost
of $60 million in federal funding, with clean up consisting of excavation 6 inches of dirt or chat and
backfilling with crushed limestone.
The remediation of the yards and the public areas and the education and outreach programs implemented
by the Ottawa County Health Department are helping to protect the children's health. This is confirmed by
the blood lead levels in Site children that have decreased dramatically.
EPA is conducting final work on residential properties and is obtaining access agreements to complete
residential yard cleanup efforts. The main focus is on chat in driveways and alleyways located within Ottawa
County.
OU2 - Town of Afton Driveway Excavation OU2 - City of Miami Restored Alleyway
In May 2004, the State of Oklahoma implemented a relocation program for families with children under the
age of seven. At the request of U.S. Senator James Inhofe, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted a
study that found that a third or more of the homes in the area have varying degrees of collapse potential
due to extensive historic mining under the towns of Picher, Cardin, and Hockerville, A public Trust
established by the State of Oklahoma implemented a voluntary relocation for properties in Cardin, Picher,
and Hockerville that are impacted by potential subsidence. The Trust offered residents to voluntarily apply
for relocation under conditions established by the State Legislature in May 2006. This effort has been
completed and a Closeout Report was completed by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
(ODEQ) on November 23, 2011.
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TVv
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of millions of tons of mining waste. Both pilots, Indian-owned chat sales and the disposal of chat in mine
cavities, were response action alternatives considered in the Feasibility Study,
The OU4 ROD, which was signed in February 2008, addresses the source materials, rural residential yard
contamination, transition zone soil contamination, and contamination in water drawn from rural residential
wells. The selected remedy also includes relocation, which will continue to be implemented by the Lead
Impacted Communities Relocation Assistance Trust (LICRAT), and chat sales. Though EPA does not own any
chat and does not purchase or sell chat, it will assist chat sales participants as part of EPA's CERCLA remedy.
EPA issued an Explanation of Significant Differences to the OU4 remedy in February 2010 that included
residential and business properties in Treece, Kansas, in the voluntary buyout.
The remedial action for Operable Unit 4 is well underway. The removal of mine and mill waste in distal
areas, where access has been granted, started in January 2010. Removing and reducing the footprints of this
waste is enabling property owners to increase the use of their land. Also, working in the distal areas allows
chat sales within the core area to continue and contribute to the reduction of the footprint of chat. To date,
over 250,000 tons of contaminated material has been removed and more than 500 acres reclaimed for
reuse.
OU4 - Distal 7 South property during cleanup
The demolition of the homes purchased in the towns of Picher, Cardin, and the Hockerville began on January
24, 2011, and has been completed. ODEQ described this work in a Closeout Report issued November 23,
2011.
2.3.5 OU5: Sediments
To address the concerns of the State and the Tribes for the sediment and surface water downstream of the
central mining area, OU5 is examining the nature and extent of contaminated sediment in Elm Creek and Tar
Creek starting at the confluence of Tar Creek and Lytle Creek to the Neosho River down to the point where it
flows into Grand Lake. EPA Region 6 is working with EPA Region 7 as part of a multi-state effort to
characterize sediment and surface water throughout the spring and Neosho River basins.
2.3.6 Quapaw Tribe Performing Catholic 40 Cleanup
On October 1, 2012, a Cooperative Agreement was signed between EPA and the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma
to perform remedial action work at the "Catholic 40". The Catholic 40 is a 40-acre tract of land owned by the
Quapaw Tribe that has cultural and historical significance.
OU4 - Distal 7 South property after cleanup
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Historical structures include remnants of a Catholic Church and school constructed in 1893. The remedial
action will involve the excavation, hauling, and disposal of approximately 107,000 tons of source material or
chat.
Extra precautions have been taken during these activities in the areas near the historical structures to
prevent damage. The remedial action will also include restoration (for example, contouring, seeding) of the
Site and bank stabilization of Beaver Creek to ensure the integrity of the remedy. Beaver Creek also has
cultural and historical significance to the Quapaw Tribe.
The completion of the remedial action by the Quapaw Tribe in accordance with the Record of Decision for
OU 4 will enhance the Tribe's technical capacity to perform work under the Superfund program. Other
Tribes may express an interest in performing work similar to the remedial action work being performed by
the Quapaw Tribe at the Catholic 40 property.
2.4 Five-year reviews
Under the statutory requirements of Section 121(c) of CERCLA, 42 U.S.C. ง 9621(c), and its implementing
regulation 40 CFR ง 300.430(f)(4)(ii), every five years, EPA is required to review sites it has addressed under
Superfund where hazardous substances remain on-site above concentration levels that allow for
unrestricted use and unrestricted exposure. Three five-year reviews have been performed at the Tar Creek
Site. The first was completed in April 1994, the second five-year review was completed in April 2000, the
third review was completed in September 2005, and the fourth review was completed in September 2010.
The most recent Five-Year Review Report is available online at
http://www.epa.gov/region6/6sf/oklahoma/tar creek/ok tar creek 4th-5vr review.pdf
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Site Location Map
Tar Creek Superfund Site
Ottawa County, Oklahoma
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Community Background
3.1 Community Profile
The population of Ottawa County is 32,236 according to the U.S. Census population estimates for 2013.
However, only a portion of the county is included in the area designated as the Tar Creek Superfund Site.
The primary communities that have been affected are Commerce, Quapaw, North Miami, Picher, Cardin,
and Hockerville. Picher, Cardin and Hockerville were part of the voluntary buyout of properties and are
currently uninhabited. The county seat, Miami, population 13,737, is on the southern edge of the site.
Land ownership in the area is private, government, or Indian owned. On Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) maps
from 1959, approximately 20% of the overall site was owned by Indians. However, a higher percentage,
50%, of land with mining wastes on the surface is Indian-owned.
Almost 30 percent of the land in Ottawa County is undeveloped. Primary land use is agricultural including
crop farming, mushroom nurseries, and pasture grazing. Industrial activity includes plastics manufacturing,
animal feed production, and boat and motor home production. Commercial activity is composed primarily of
small businesses. Residential areas include privately owned housing, government housing, and tribal
housing.
Recreation in the area includes hunting, fishing, golf, softball, and soccer. There are a number of school and
community recreational ball fields located in the area. Commerce is widely known as the boyhood home of
baseball Hall of Fame player, Mickey Mantle. The Grand Lake of the Cherokees is located in the southeastern
portion of Ottawa County. This lake is a widely used recreational area with swimming, boating, and other
outdoor activities.
The population of the area is culturally diverse. A number of Indian Tribes are represented in the population.
According to U.S. Census data, 19 percent of Ottawa County's population as being American Indian. Tribal
headquarters for several tribes, including the Quapaw, Ottawa, Peoria, Seneca, Wyandotte, and Modoc
Tribes are located in the area. For some tribal members, English is a second language. Pow Wows and other
Tribal activities are important community aspects for Tribal members.
The Northeaster Tribal Health System maintains a medical facility that serves Tribes in the area in Miami.
The facility's medical/nursing department provides medical services for Tribal members that include general
examinations, routine checkups, health screenings, health education, and care of common medical
conditions.
Ottawa County is economically depressed when compared to other areas in the State. According to the U.S.
Census Bureau American Community Survey 2008 - 2012, 21.2 percent of the population of Ottawa County
is below the poverty level. Median household income was $36,280 per year. Poverty levels and median
income for the State of Oklahoma are 16.6 percent and $44,891.
The top five major manufacturers in the area include J-M Farms, Inc. and J-M Foods, Inc., Tracker Marine
Group, 4-Satellite Mushroom Farms, and Newell Coach Corporation. The top five non-manufacturing
employers are the Downstream Casino & Resort, Integris Baptist Regional Health Center, the Eastern
Shawnee Tribe, the Peoria Tribe and Wal-Mart, Inc.
3.2 History of Community Involvement
Throughout the history of the Tar Creek Superfund Site, EPA, in coordination with the Oklahoma
Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), the Quapaw Tribe, and other tribal, local, state and federal
government agencies, has kept the community, public, governmental entities, citizen advisory groups and
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interested parties informed of Superfund response actions, and involved these groups in the decision-
making process.
The EPA uses a variety of methods to inform communities about site activities at the Tar Creek Site, and to
seek their participation in the Superfund process. Activities have included:
Sending fact sheets to individuals on the site mailing list. The mailing list includes residents and
business owners, local, state and federal officials, and other interested parties who have requested
information or who have attended public meetings. Fact sheets are also posted on the Tar Creek Site
website. See Appendix D for an example of a fact sheet about chat removal activities and EPA's
outreach to property owners at OU4. EPA Region 6 staff shared the fact sheet with property owners
who had questions about removal work done on their land and with Oklahoma U.S. Senator Tom
Coburn, U.S. Senator James M. Inhofe and U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin (Congressional
District 2).
Holding a Chat Users Workshop in August 2008 and a Chat Marketing Workshop in June 2010 in
Asphalt Contractors from the Four State regions attended these one-day workshops to learn about
new opportunities for purchasing Chat for use in asphalt mix. Leaders from the industry, State
officials and the U.S. EPA answered questions and discussed the beneficial use of Chat, managing
chat use to be protective of public health and the environment, and approaches to purchasing and
using chat. Legal issues about the use of chat was also discussed with the participants.
Publishing public notices in the Miami News Record, and Joplin Globe, if needed. Notices also were
provided to stakeholders, including the Quapaw Tribe and LEAD Agency, for posting on websites and
social media sites.
Participating in informal community meetings and open houses, public meetings, and workshops
Individual outreach through EPA's toll free number, door-to-door visits with property owners
Providing information on all aspects of the cleanup of the Tar Creek Site via EPA's and stakeholders'
websites and social media sites
Community involvement activities have been underway at the site for more than 30 years. Appendix E
provides a detailed look at the community involvement efforts that have been conducted at this site since
the CIP was last updated in 2007.
3.3 Key Community Concerns
As part of the research for this CIP, EPA staff have discussed community issues, concerns and information
needs related to the Tar Creek Superfund site during on-going contacts with many residents, tribal officials,
public officials, community leaders, business people, and other members of the community. Most recently,
in October 2014, EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator conducted telephone interviews with tribal
officials, ODEQ staff, community leaders and site workers. For the 4th Five-Year Review, EPA conducted
interviews with members of the community who are knowledgeable about the cleanup activities at the site.
These interviews provided community members with opportunities to ask questions, voice their opinions
and concerns about site activities and issues, and learn more about the Superfund program. Feedback from
these community members provided the foundation for the community involvement activities and tools
presented in Section 4 - Community Action Plan.
The following summarizes the results of information obtained from these interviews combined with
feedback from meeting participants and ongoing contacts with community members.
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
15
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Historically, concerns focused primarily on the effect of high blood lead levels on the health of residents,
especially young children; potential impacts to the community' water supply; the dangers of subsidence
caused by abandoned underground mines, and issues surrounding the relocation of residents of Picher,
Cardin and Hockerville.
More recently concerns include:
Exposure to site contaminants in surface water, possibly at Commerce, due to mine water
discharges.
The potential for site contaminants to affect groundwater quality in the area
The length of time required to clean up the site
Children playing on chat piles and the potential for subsidence on or near the Commerce High
School grounds.
Signage is needed to warn visitors and local residents not to swim and fish in the waters, play on the
chat piles, or eat vegetables grown near chat bases and other contaminated areas.
Traffic safety issues from large haul trucks traveling on local roads during construction activities for
the OU4 cleanup
Availability of funding to continue cleanup work, especially on restricted properties
Funding to continue blood lead monitoring of local children by the Ottawa County Health
Department
Potential liabilities associated with chat sales and compliance with the Chat Rule
Potential impacts to groundwater and streams from the injection of mine waste (tailings)
-------
EPA's Community Involvement Program
The overall goal of EPA's community involvement program is to promote two-way communication between
citizens and the EPA and to provide opportunities for meaningful and active involvement by the community
in the cleanup process. It is important to maintain open communications among ODEQ, EPA, the tribes and
those who live near the site, as well as local, state, and federal government agencies and officials,
community leaders and other interested individuals or groups. This will ensure that the community
members have ample opportunity to voice opinions and receive answers to their questions. The following
plan is based on the results of the community interviews described earlier; it addresses issues that were
identified as being important to the community.
4.1 The Plan
EPA has continued the Community Involvement Program throughout the Superfund process at the Tar Creek
Superfund site. The program addresses concerns and issues of importance to community members and
fosters communication between the agency and those interested in the site. The Superfund program
emphasizes the importance of community involvement, and the Community Involvement Program ensures
that citizens have ample opportunity to voice opinions and receive answers to their questions.
4.1.1 Community Involvement Objectives
The objectives of EPA's Community Involvement Program are to:
Maintain open communication between EPA and residents, tribal leaders, community leaders,
business leaders, environmentalists, local, state and Federal government agencies and officials, and
other interested persons or groups. This communication was established early in the Superfund
process, and is being maintained during the duration of the cleanup.
Provide residents, tribal interests, agencies, local officials, civic leaders, media, and other interested
persons or groups with accurate, timely information about the Superfund process, the progress of
the cleanup, and other crucial technical and administrative matters. This gives community members
the tools they need to provide meaningful input into the decision-making process.
The following activities will be implemented to achieve EPA's community involvement objectives.
4.1.2 Ongoing Interaction with Community Members
While remedial activities at the site progress, EPA staff will maintain regular contact with members of the
community by phone and in person. EPA staff can participate at local community events, such as the annual
Tar Creek conference hosted by the LEAD Agency, and provide periodic briefings for elected officials, and
other tribal, community, and civic leaders to keep them abreast of ongoing site activity. Contact information
for EPA Region 6 personnel for the Tar Creek Superfund Site can be found in Appendix F.
EPA Region 6 has designated a CIC to handle site inquiries and serve as a point of contact for community
members. The CIC serves as a primary liaison between the community and the EPA to ensure prompt,
accurate, and consistent responses and information dissemination about the site. Currently Janetta Coats is
the EPA CIC assigned to the site. She works closely with Ursula Lennox, Robert Sullivan, Rafael Casanova, and
Katrina Higgins-Coltrain, EPA's Remedial Project Managers for the site.
4.1.3 Public Meetings and Community/Stakeholders meetings
EPA will conduct informal community meetings as needed and when requested by interested parties. More
formal public meetings will be conducted, if needed, to announce proposed plans and obtain public
comments. The meetings will provide residents, agencies, local officials, civic leaders and media with
accurate, timely information about the technical and administrative aspects of the cleanup and provide
opportunities for community members to provide meaningful input into the decision-making process. EPA
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
17
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technical and community involvement staff will attend to provide information, address concerns, and
answer questions. Contact for tribal and local, state and federal officials can be found in Appendix F.
Meetings have been held at the Miami Civic Center, Quapaw Tribal Complex, Picher-Cardin High School,
Commerce High School, Picher Housing Authority, the Ottawa County Courthouse, and the First National
Bank Community Room in Miami. Invitations to public meetings are sent to the mailing list, published in the
local newspapers as advertisements, and promoted from the EPA Public Affairs division.
4.1.4 Fact Sheets
EPA will develop fact sheets as needed to provide citizens with current, accurate, easy-to-read, easy-to-
understand information about the Tar Creek Superfund site. Appendix G contains a Glossary of Superfund
terms that are used in fact sheets to aid reader understanding. Fact sheets are mailed to everyone on the
Tar Creek Superfund Site mailing list. The mailing list includes residents and business owners, local, state and
federal officials, and other interested parties who have requested information or who have attended public
meetings. Fact sheets produced since 2007 also are posted on the Tar Creek Site website.
4.1.5 Toll Free Superfund Hotline
EPA's Superfund Hotline is available 24-hours a day to enable citizens to get the latest information available
when they want it, rather than having to wait for a meeting or a fact sheet. The toll-free number is 1-800-
533-3508. It is publicized on all community outreach materials.
4.1.6 Mailing List
EPA maintains a mailing list for the site that contains 1,080 entries. The mailing list includes residents and
other individuals or groups interested in or affected by the site. EPA updates the mailing list periodically and
adds new contacts via fact sheets, newspaper articles, and community meetings. Stakeholders who prefer
electronic delivery receive their documents via email.
4.1.7 Information Repositories
Information repositories for the Tar Creek Superfund site are maintained at the following locations:
Miami Public Library
200 N. Main
Miami, OK 74354
(918)541-2292
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
Land Protection Division
707 North Robinson
Oklahoma City, OK 73101
(405)702-5100
(405)702-5101 fax
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75202-2733
(214) 665 6427/1-800-533-3508 (Please call for an appointment if you desire to review the file)
4.1.8 Site and Superfund information on the Internet
Resources for information about Superfund and hazardous waste issues and the ASL site in particular can be
found on the internet at these EPA websites:
Information about the Tar Creek Superfund site can be found at the following links:
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
18
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Site Status Summary: http://www.epa.gov/regiori6/6sf/pdffiles/tar-creek-ok.pdf
Project Background, important documents, including Proposed Plans, Records of Decision,
and five-year review reports, and other information about EPA activities at the site:
http://www.epa.gov/Region6/6sf/oklahoma/tar creek/index.htm
Information about EPA and Superfund can be found at:
EPA Headquarters: http://www.epa.gov
EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/earthlr6
EPA Region 6 Superfund Division: http://www.epa.gov/earthlr6/6sf/6sf.htm
4.1.9 Establish and maintain the Administrative Record
EPA maintains two sets of the Administrative Record for the site, one in the EPA Region 6 offices located at
1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas and one located at the ODEQ Information Repository. The Administrative
Record contains all information EPA used to make decisions on the selection of response actions under the
Superfund program.
4.1.10 Public Comment Period
EPA will provide community members with opportunities to review and comment on various EPA
documents, especially Proposed Plans. This provides the citizens with meaningful involvement in the process
and also provides the site Team with valuable information for use in making decisions. Comment periods will
be announced, if needed. A comment period is required in conjunction with the announcement of a
Proposed Plan or Amendment to a Record of Decision and will last a minimum of 30 days.
4.1.11 Public Notices
Public notices will be published as display advertisements in a news section of the Miami News Record and,
if needed, the Joplin Globe to announce important information including public comment periods,
invitations to meetings, holiday work schedules and haul routes for construction vehicles.
4.1.12 Responsiveness Summary
If needed, EPA will prepare a Responsiveness Summary as a section of a Proposed Plan or an amended
Record of Decision. The Responsiveness Summary will include four sections: 1. Overview; 2. Background on
Community Involvement; 3. Summary of comments received and Agency responses; 4. Remedial
Design/Remedial Action concerns. All information, both technical and non-technical, will be conveyed in a
manner that is easily understood. The Responsiveness Summary serves to summarize comments received
during comment periods, to document how the EPA has considered those comments during the decision-
making process, and to provide responses to major comments.
4.1.13 Technical Assistance Grant
TAGs are awarded by EPA to community groups affected by NPL sites or sites proposed for the NPL where a
response action is underway. EPA awards these grants for community groups to obtain independent
technical experts to help in interpreting technical site information, including public health, redevelopment,
and site reuse options.
TAGs are available at any time during the Superfund process. Only one TAG at a time can be awarded per
site. Therefore, EPA encourages community groups to form a coalition to apply for a grant so that the group
best represents the diversity of community interests. Initial awards of up to $50,000 per site are available.
EPA's TAG Web site is at http://www.epa.gov/superfund/communitv/tag/.
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
19
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4.1.14 Schedule of Community Involvement Activities
ACTIVITY
TIME FRAME
Ongoing Contact with Community Members
Ongoing
Designate an EPA Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC)
Immediately/completed
Public Meetings and Community/Stakeholders meetings
As needed
Fact Sheets
As needed for major project milestones,
to keep stakeholders updated about site
activities
Provide a toll-free "800 number" for the community to
contact EPA
Currently in operation
Maintain a mailing list for the site
Ongoing
Establish and maintain Information Repositories
Established, update as needed
Provide site and Superfund information on the Internet
Currently available; update as needed
Establish and maintain the Administrative Record
Established, update as needed
Solicit comments during a Public Comment Period
As needed and required
Public Notices in local newspapers
To announce public comment periods,
inform stakeholders about important
site-related information
Prepare and issue a Responsiveness Summary
Following public comment periods
Technical Assistance Grant
Anytime during remedial activities
Revise the Community Involvement Plan (CIP)
As needed, at least every 3 years
4.1.15 Revision of the Community Involvement Plan
EPA will update the information presented in this version of the CIP to address changes in community
concerns and information needs as the Superfund process progresses. The CIP will be revised as community
concern warrants or at least every three years until the site is closed out.
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
20
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Appendices
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
21
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Appendix A
Blood Lead Level Reductions in Ottawa County
Children
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
22
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Children's Blood Lead Levels in Tar Creek and Ottawa
County Markedly Decline from 1997 to 2013
Cleanup activities carried out under Operational Unit 2 Residential Properties Remedial Action of the Tar
Creek Superfund Site since 1997 have been major contributors to creating a healthier environment and
protecting human health in Tar Creek and Ottawa County. Approximately 2,887 residential yards and public
properties in Ottawa County have been remediated since the inception of cleanup activities under the
Residential Properties Remedial Action. With funding from EPA, initially through ATSDR in 1998 and more
recently through the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, the Ottawa County Health
Department has provided ongoing community health education to families and the public on childhood
lead poisoning prevention and blood lead screening of children from 6 months to 6 years of age residing in
Tar Creek and Ottawa County. During this time period, significant reductions have occurred in blood lead
levels of children residing in Tar Creek and Ottawa County.
Percent Children With Elevated Blood Lead Levels >10 |ig/dL
US, OK, Ottawa County, and Tar Creek for 1997 - 2013
25
20
15
10
5
0
ฃ S*
Years
--US -"-OKLAHOMA -^OTTAWA CO -*-TAR CREEK
For Tar Creek, the percentage of children screened with elevated blood lead levels (>10 [ig/dL) declined
from 21.5% in 1997 to 0% in 2013. For Ottawa County, the percentage of children screened with elevated
blood lead levels (>10 (Jg/dL) declined from 12.61% in 1997 to 0% in 2013. By comparison, the percentage
of children screened with elevated blood lead levels (>10 (ig/dL) for the State of Oklahoma ranged from
3.7% in 1997 to 0.5% in 2013 and for the United States ranged from 7.6% in 1997 to 0.6% in 2012 (most
recent year reported).
-------
Percent Children With Elevated Blood Lead Levels >5 |ig/dL
US, OK, Ottawa County, and Tar Creek for 2007 - 2013
25
20
0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Years
-~-US -"-OKLAHOMA -^OTTAWA CO -m-TAR CREEK
In May 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established 5|ig/dL as the reference
level for children with an elevated blood lead level. Based on a retrospective analysis of Oklahoma's blood
lead surveillance data, the percentage of children screened residing in Tar Creek with elevated blood lead
levels (>5|ig/dL) declined from 12.6% in 2007 to 2.2% in 2013. For Ottawa County, the percentage of
children screened with elevated blood lead levels (>5 |ig/dL) declined from 11.2% in 2007 to 1.9% in 2013.
By comparison, the percentage of children screened with elevated blood lead levels (>5 |ig/dL) for the State
of Oklahoma declined from 9.1% in 2007 to 2.5% in 2013. Nationally, the percentage of children screened
with elevated blood lead levels (>5 |ig/dL) declined from 6.6% in 2010 to 5.4% in 2012.
While much has been accomplished since 1997 to make the Tar Creek Superfund Site and Ottawa County a
healthier environment for children and families through cleanup efforts under Residential Areas Operable
Unit 2 and, more recently through Operable Unit 4 (Chat Piles, Other Mine and Mill Wastes, Smelter
Wastes), almost 2% of children screened in Ottawa County for lead poisoning in 2013 continue to have
elevated blood lead levels based on the current reference level. In order to sustain the improvements
achieved through these cleanup efforts and further reduce the risk of childhood lead poisoning in Tar Creek
and Ottawa County, it is important that current initiatives to provide community health education on
prevention of childhood lead poisoning and enhanced opportunities for blood lead screening of children be
maintained.
Oklahoma Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
1000 NE 10th Street, Room 711
Oklahoma City, OK 73117-1299
Phone: 405.271.6617
Email: oklppp@health.ok.gov
Source: CDC's National Childhood Blood Lead Surveillance Data 1997 - 2012 Oklahoma State
Department of Health Childhood Blood Lead Surveillance Data 1997 - 2013
Oklahoma State Department of Health 09 22 2014
Page 2
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Appendix B
Superfund Job Training Initiative (Super JTI)
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
25
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The Superfund
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Where Can I Learn More About
The SuperJTI Program?
For more detailed Information, please visit the SuperJTI
website at:
www.epa.gov/superfund/community/sfjti
Or contact the SuperJTI Program Managers:
EPA Regions 1-5
Melissa Friedland
(703) 603-8864
friedland. mel issa@epa .gov
EPA Regions 6-10
Viola Cooper
(415) 972-3243
cooper. viola@epa .gov
Additional EPA
Resources
EPA Home:
www.epa.gov
EPA Community Involvement Program:
www.epa.gov/superfund/community
EPA Community Advisory Groups (CAGs):
www.epa.gov/superfund/community/cag
EPA Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs):
www.epa.gov/superfund/communityAag
EPA Technical Assistance Services for Communities
(TASC) Contract:
www.epa.gov/superfund/community/tasc
Does your community need
jobs and job training?
If so, the Environmental Protection
Agency's Superfund Job Training
Initiative can help!
U.S. Environments! Protection Agency
Superfund Job Training Initiative
-------
oEPA
THE SUPERFUND JOB TRAINING INITIATIVE gffjk
1 Making a in Communities
www.epa.gov ]
rfT ,
What Is The Superfund Job
Training Initiative?
The Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) is an
environmental remediation job readiness program that
provides free training and employment opportunities for
citizens living in communities affected by Superfund
sites.
The Superfund program uses its experience working
with communities to create partnerships with local
businesses, universities, labor unions, community and
social service organizations, and other federal agencies
to address local workforce issues. EPA's goal is to help
communities develop job opportunities and partnerships
that remain long after a Superfund site is cleaned up.
EPA offers SuperJTI training through its Technical
Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) contract,
which provides independent educational and technical
assistance to communities affected by Superfund sites.
How Can SuperJTI Benefit My
Community?
Through the SuperJTI program, EPA and its partners can
make the most of resources and expertise to help citizens
living in communities affected by Superfund sites.
SuperJTI benefits communities by:
Increasing understanding of site conditions and
cleanup efforts.
Providing individuals with marketable skills that
enhance employment potential.
Enabling community members to play active roles in
the protection and restoration of their neighborhoods.
Providing assistance with job placement.
SuperJTI combines classroom instruction with hands-
on training exercises for each participant. SuperJTI
graduates have the technical skills to work on a broad
range of projects in environmental remediation and
construction as well as the cleanup of Superfund sites.
What Are SuperJTI's
Accomplishments?
Approximately 400 trainees nationwide have participated
in SuperJTI. Graduates of SuperJTI have been placed in
a variety of jobs.
Dump truck drivers
Environmental technicians
General production operators
Heavy equipment operators
Material handlers
Radiological control inspectors
Approximately 80 percent of trainees from previous
SuperJTI programs have been placed into jobs.
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Appendix C
Traffic Safety Outreach in the Community
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
28
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Tar Creek Superfund Site
Ottawa County, Oklahoma
EPA Enhances Safety with NEW Truck Haul Route
April 18, 2012
A
In early February 2012, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and its contractors began
cleaning up mining wastes-commonly known as
chat - from five locations about two miles east of
Quapaw, in the vicinity of the intersection of East
50 Road and 630 Road. Cleanup involves excavating
chat and hauling it in large trucks to a repository on
East 40 Road.
Safety is first and foremost for us. As part of our
commitment to your safety, the route loaded
trucks take when leaving the excavation areas will
be changed to reduce the likelihood of accidents.
Beginning in mid-April 2012, loaded trucks
delivering waste to the repository will exit the
excavation areas on East 50 Road at Highway 69A.
Trucks will travel west on Highway 69A to 560 Road
and travel north to 565 Road, where they will
travel NE to East 40 Road. At the intersection of
565 Road and East 40 Road, trucks will travel east
to the repository. The route for empty trucks
returning to the excavation areas from the
repository will not change.
Please be aware of the potential to encounter large
trucks on roadways and drive cautiously.
The map on the inside pages of this flyer show the
location of the chat removal areas and the truck
routes to and from the repository.
All haul trucks working on our projects will have
speed restrictions for dump trucks lower than
posted speed limits, roadside warning signs, and
lighted/flashing signs at critical intersections.
If you witness unsafe driving by any project trucks
on these routes, please call 918.674.1164 with the
time, location, and the name of the company that
is located on the door of the trucks. Your feedback
is appreciated.
For more information about construction activities
and traffic safety, contact the Tar Creek Project
Office at 918.674.1164.
Additional information about cleanup efforts at the
Tar Creek Superfund Site can be found online at
http://www. epa. gov/region6/6sf/oklahoma/
tar_ creek/index, h tm
One of the haul trucks that drivers may encounter on
Ottawa County roads.
A lighted message board warns motorists about truck
traffic on local roadways.
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H o c k e r vii 11 e
E. 13 Ji
E F St
E 20 R.d
E 20 Rd.
E0020 Rd
W 2nd St
E 30 Rd
Cardi n
E0030 Rd
E 30 Rd.
Highway Message Board:
SLOW DOWN - TRUCKS ENTERING
HIGHWAY-7 am to 6 pm
Highway Message Board:
SLOW DOWN - TRUCKS ENTERING
HIGHWAY - 7 am to 6 pm
E 40 Rd.
E 40 Rd.
Highway Message Board:
SLOW DOWN - TRUCKS ENTERING
HIGHWAY
Concrete Headwa s
Gravel
F 45 Hfl
Central Mill Tailings
Pond/Repository Site
5
Quapaw
E 50 Rd.
| I n I r. I n
Highway Message Board:
SLOW DOWN - TRUCKS ENTERING
HIGHWAY
Legend
I Approved Haul Route from Distal 6 Site to the Repository
Approved Return route from the Repository to Distal 6
- Railroad
Road
Creek
Chat Removal Area (Distal 6)
~ Haul Route Intersects RR
Stop Sign Installed
+ Trees Obstruct View
Truck Crossing
* Trucks Entering
N
A
1,250 2,500
5,000
I Feet
Haul Route for Current
Removal Area (Distal 6)
Tar Creek Superfund Site
Operable Unit No. 4
Ottawa County, Oklahoma
CH2MHILL
HOU \\HOLLISTER\PROJ\TAR CREEK\R6R2-043 TCSM OU4 FR 395950\MAPFILES\HAUL RD ROUTE DISTAL 6 SAFETY FLYER.MXD FLONDON 4/17/2012 4:08:58 PM
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Electronic warning signs placed at dangerous intersections to
warn motorists about heavy truck traffic on the roadways.
Wml
-------
Tar Creek Superfund Site - Operable Unit 4
Ottawa County, Oklahoma
EPA Announces Truck Haul Routes for Work at
New Locations East of Quapaw
June 2013
^0STA%
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its contractors are continuing the cleanup of mining
wastes-commonly known as chat. Cleanup involves excavating chat and hauling it in large trucks to a
repository on South 40 Road. Work will begin soon on three parcels of land located east of Quapaw. Two
parcels, called "Distal 7 South", are located on East 620 Road between South 620 Road and South 630 Road.
The third parcel, called "Distal 7 North," is located on South 630 Road between South 40 Road and South 50
Road.
Safety is our top priority. Beginning in late-June 2013, loaded trucks will use the following routes to deliver
waste to the repository and return to the chat removal areas:
Distal 7 Haul Route
To Repository (located on East 40 Road): Return Trip to Sites:
South on 630 or 620 Road to West on 50 Road Repository to East 40 Road
West on 50 Road to Scale East on East 40 Road to Hwy 69
West on East 50 Road to Hwy 69A North on Hwy 69 to East 20 Road
West on 69A/50 Road to North on 560 Road East on East 20 Road to 610 Road
North on 560 Road to North on 565 Road South on 610 Road to East 40 Road
North on 565 Road to East on 40 Road East on East 40 Road to 620 Road (or 630 Road for
East on East 40 Road to Repository Distal 7 North)
Please be aware of the potential to encounter large trucks on roadways and drive cautiously. Trucks may be
traveling on Ottawa County roads Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and possibly on some
weekend days. All haul trucks working on our projects will have speed restrictions for dump trucks lower than
posted speed limits, roadside warning signs, and lighted/flashing signs at critical intersections. Please comply
with the warning signs, for your safety and the safety of others.
If you witness unsafe driving by any project trucks on these routes, please call 918.674.1164 with the time,
location, and the name of the company that is located on the door of the trucks. Your feedback is appreciated.
For more information about construction activities and traffic safety, contact the Tar Creek Project Office at
918.674.1164. Additional information about cleanup efforts at the Tar Creek Superfund Site can be found
online at htto://www.eoa.aov/reaion6/6sf/oklahoma/tar creek/index.htm
South on 620 Road (or 630 Road for Distal 7 North)
We thank you, the school superintendent, the school bus drivers, and the community
for your continued support throughout the year as we work together to clean up
Tar Creek site wastes and improve the community.
Newspaper advertisement published in the Miami News Record
-------
UPDATED!
Tar Creek Superfund Site Safety Notice
EPA Announces NEW Truck Haul Route for Chat Removal
April 18, 2012
^eD8T^
Mts.>
In early February 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and its contractors began cleaning up mining
wastes-commonly known as chat - from five locations about
two miles east of Quapaw, in the vicinity of the intersection of
East 50 Road and 630 Road. Cleanup involves excavating chat
and hauling it in large trucks to a repository on East 40 Road.
Safety is first and foremost for us. As part of our commitment
to your safety, the route loaded trucks take when leaving the
excavation areas will be changed to reduce the likelihood of
accidents. Beginning in mid-April 2012, loaded trucks deliver-
ing waste to the repository will exit the excavation areas on
East 50 Road at Highway 69A. Trucks will travel west on High-
way 69A to 560 Road and travel north to 565 Road, where
they will travel NE to East 40 Road. At the intersection of 565
Road and East 40 Road, trucks will travel east to the reposito-
ry. This new route information is updated from the previous
postcard dated April 12. 2012.
The route for empty trucks returning to the excavation areas
from the repository will not change. Please be aware of the
potential to encounter large trucks on roadways and drive cau-
tiously.
All haul trucks working on our projects will have speed restric-
tions for dump trucks lower than posted speed limits, roadside
warning signs, and lighted/flashing signs at critical intersections.
Placards will be placed on all project trucks and vehicles listing
the project office number to call to report unsafe driving. If you
witness unsafe driving by any project trucks on these routes,
please call 918.674.1164 with the time, location, and the name
of the company that is located on the door of the trucks. Your
feedback is appreciated. For more information about construc-
tion activities and traffic safety, contact the Tar Creek Project
Office at 918.674.1164.
In the near future, a full color map - including the new truck route - will be distributed to the
Tar Creek site mailing list and be available online at:
* http://www.epa.gov/region6/6sf/oklahoma/tar_creek/index.htm ^
United Stat**
Eiซ#irammฎmtal Protection
Agency
Recj ion ง
1448 Ross Ave. (8SF-VO)
Dallas. TX 75202
Postcard sent to 1,100 people on the Tar Creek Mailing List
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Appendix D
Chat Activities Removal Fact Sheet
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
34
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U.S. EPA Region 6 ^eDST^
u Tar Creek Superfund Site - Operable Unit 4
Project Update for Property Owners - Cleanup Process Overview
May 2013
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
signed a Record of Decision (ROD) in 2008 to address
contamination from historical mining operations which
include chat piles, mine and mill wastes, and smelter
wastes. One of the components of the ROD outlined a
remedy to address source materials. "Source material"
means mine and mill waste including chat, fine
tailings, overburden, development rock, smelter waste,
and other tailings. These materials originated from the
mining of lead and zinc deposits found in the lower to
middle intervals of the Boone Formation, which is
comprised of limestone, dolomite and chert, along
with lesser quantities of sandstone and shale. The
native soil in the area sometimes includes significant
quantities of chert and other rock fragments
originating from the bedrock.
Source material is generally found on the ground
surface in chat piles, chat bases (the area once
occupied by a chat pile), smelter wastes, and tailings
ponds. EPA's primary concern is the contaminants
these wastes contain, specifically lead, zinc, and
cadmium. These metals are identified in the ROD as
"contaminants of concern" or COCs.
In January 2010, EPA began cleaning up source
materials from properties throughout Ottawa County.
This project update describes the typical excavation,
removal, disposition, and restoration activities
performed at each property where chat and
contaminated soil is cleaned up. It also contains
information on activities not included in the cleanup
process.
Before Cleanup Begins
Once EPA has identified a property requiring cleanup
and the owner, or owners, if there is more than one
owner, have provided access, a number of activities
are implemented, that include the following:
Samples of chat are collected and analyzed to
evaluate the potential for the chat to be reused.
A property inspection is performed to physically
locate areas of source materials, subsidence
features, mine shafts, cased borings, historically or
culturally significant items or areas, other features
(for example, existing ponds, wells), and other
remnants of mining activities.
The property is surveyed to document the existing
terrain of the ground surface and source materials
present on the property to better define the
quantities of materials to be cleaned up in
accordance with the ROD. Property boundary and
surveys of significant features such as mine
features, fields or pastures, and forested areas are
also performed to confirm property lines and to
quantify the areas that will be affected by the
cleanup effort.
Other types of surveys may be performed as
needed to support the cleanup effort.
Health and safety-related hazards and potential
engineering controls are also evaluated in regards
to access, excavation, and safe transport to the
designated destination in accordance with federal,
state, and local government agency requirements
to ensure project compliance.
Typical Removal and Disposal Activities
The cleanup of a given property typically includes the
excavation and removal of all source materials
identified within its boundaries. The exception to this
is in cases where mine features present at the property
pose risk of being a nuisance or safety hazard during
remediation. Such features would include mine shafts,
borings, cased borings, and subsidence features. For
larger features, such as shafts and subsidence features,
source materials from the property (almost exclusively
chat and development rock) may be used to backfill
the areas to grade rather than removing the source
material from the property, with the property owner's
permission. These backfilled features are then covered
with an earthen cap, surveyed at an approved
frequency for subsidence settlement, and monitored.
Cased borings that are identified during construction
are plugged in accordance with the procedure
approved by the EPA. Occasionally, certain cased
borings that are connected to the mine room are kept
open and accessible if they are identified to be used for
water monitoring.
Haul roads into and out of the property are routed
based upon an agreement between the property owner
and EPA's cleanup contractor. If a road currently
exists on the property and can be used successfully
-------
during remediation, the road will be used. If not, new
limestone haul roads are constructed to provide for
equipment access to the source material areas on each
property. In cases where existing chat roads are used,
they are the last source material removed from the
property.
If the property owner desires, the constructed
limestone roads can either be removed once the
cleanup is complete, or left in place if the owner
desires. Existing gates, fencing, or any other items
may be left in place or temporarily removed to
perform the work. Once work is completed, these
items are reinstalled in the same quantity, length, and
so forth. Any items damaged during site activities are
repaired.
Prior to removal, chat processors in the area determine
whether they would like to purchase the material. If so,
the processor engages directly with the property owner
to establish a sales agreement. If not, the material is
disposed in the repository or, if appropriate, on the
property of origin to backfill subsidence or mine
features.
Transition zone (TZ) soil, fine tailings, chat, and
development rock piles are typically loaded directly to
the haul trucks using an excavator or front-end loader.
In instances of extremely large piles, a dozer is often
used to move chat to the excavator/loader to maintain
a fixed excavation and load-out point at the property.
The excavated source material is transported to the
repository, or to a chat processor if a sales agreement
has been signed for the material.
Once the soil below the source materials has been
exposed, the surface terrain is surveyed to develop a
baseline for subsequent soil excavation. The soil
below and adjacent to where the source materials were
located is sampled in approximate 1-acre grids to
determine whether or not remediation goals (RGs) for
the COCs lead, zinc, and cadmium are exceeded in the
first 12 inches below existing ground surface. Based
on the sample results, soil below and adjacent to the
source materials may be removed to either 6 or 12
inches below ground surface if the test results indicate
that the COC level is above the RG value. If the test
results indicate that the COC level is below the RG
value, the soil is not excavated. The excavated
contaminated soil is transported by truck to the
repository. After removal of the soil, another survey is
conducted to confirm that the correct amount of
material, both horizontally and vertically, was
excavated. Quality control inspection checks and
documentation are in place to confirm that the
remediation was performed as required. Likewise,
health and safety-related requirements are evaluated
and implemented at all times to ensure that the project
is operating safely.
Typical Restoration Activities
Upon successful completion of excavation, a property
restoration plan is developed, first in a conceptual
format for approval of the property owner and EPA,
and then a final, detailed plan for delivery and
implementation. Where minimal soil excavation has
occurred, and sufficient soil is present above bedrock,
the property can usually be regraded to promote
surface water drainage by slight modification of the
surrounding land. In other instances, and with the prior
approval of the property owner and EPA, an onsite
borrow pond may be designed elsewhere on the
property to provide a source of backfill materials to
achieve the native grade of the property to the extent
possible. If a borrow pond is constructed, the material
from that pond used to backfill and grade the property
is likely to be mostly clay, and low in organic content
because of the nature of the soil present in Ottawa
County. Prior to use, EPA's contractor collects a
sample of the soil for agricultural analysis by
Oklahoma State University (OSU). OSU then provides
recommendations for adding organic amendments to
that soil to establish grasses. Following addition of
those organics to the top of the graded soil, several
grass seed mixtures are discussed with the property
owner prior to placement on graded and capped areas
(including filled mine shafts, filled subsidences, and
source material consolidation areas). For vegetated
areas, the OSU Extension Service typically
recommends an initial application of 4 tons of
mushroom compost per acre, but because the topsoils
in Ottawa County tend to be shallow (6- to 8-inches
deep), if the topsoils are excavated to remove
contamination, this initial organic amendment
application must be followed with annual applications
of organic soil amendments by the property owner for
several years to help restore the vegetation capacity of
the subsoils remaining.
After Construction and Site Restoration
Upon completion of construction and site restoration, a
prefinal inspection is held with the property owner,
EPA, and other stakeholders. A list of items that need
to be completed (a punch list) may be generated during
the prefinal inspection, as applicable. Once the punch
list items (if any) have been corrected or addressed, a
final inspection is held with the property owner(s),
EPA, and other stakeholders. During the inspection
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process, the property owner(s) is also briefed on the
work completed on the property such as the quantity of
materials removed or consolidated onsite, number of
features addressed, and any institutional controls that
will be put in place, with accompanying maps and
postconstruction maintenance recommendations. Once
all punch list items are addressed, the property owner
signs off on the work that was completed and resumes
responsibility for maintaining their property.
At any location where source materials have been
placed or consolidated and capped, including in mine
shafts or subsidences, EPA monitors the site for
settlement and the condition of the cover vegetation
for the first year following the construction
completion, at which time EPA determines if the
remedial action is operational and functional (O&F).
In areas where source material is capped in place,
institutional controls designed to protect the caps are
established through deed notices. EPA and the
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
(ODEQ) work with the property owner throughout the
process to ensure protective measures are maintained.
Every 5 years, EPA reviews conditions at each
property where source materials have been placed or
consolidated and capped. If conditions are not found to
be protective of human health or the environment,
appropriate actions are taken. The property owner can
use the capped areas within certain restrictions
(institutional controls) confirmed by EPA at
construction completion (these restrictions may
include not tilling below 6 or 12 inches below grade
[depth to be determined based on final cap thickness],
protecting the capped area from digging, and/or not
driving over the capped areas during wet conditions
when ruts might cause damage to the cap). ODEQ will
file a deed notice on such properties to assure current
and future property owners are aware of the applicable
restrictions. After the first year, the site specific
conditions and repairs are the responsibility of the
property owner(s).
What is Not Included in Property
Restoration
As captured in the ROD, excavated areas will not be
backfilled with offsite borrow soil. However,
regrading of excavated areas may be performed using
available soil on the property.
Surface water and ground water are not addressed
under Operable Unit 4, except indirectly by
eliminating some of the sources of surface water and
ground water contamination.
Site conditions, including the presence of chat,
unstable structures, and subsidence features, determine
whether or not EPA removes reinforced structures (for
example, concrete mill foundations). Typically,
buildings and reinforced structures are not removed.
Property Restoration Notes
The Taloka silt loam is the most common soil series
present at the site. Soil typically found just below the
existing surface in northeast Oklahoma is very low in
organic content. Chert and other rock fragments may
also be present in significant quantities. During site
restoration, this clayey soil is likely to be present at the
surface following final grading activities. EPA's
contractor amends the soil one time, based upon OSU
Extension Service recommendations (typically with 4
tons per acre of mushroom compost), at the initial
seeding to introduce organic matter to the soil and to
establish grasses. The property owner(s) needs to
amend the soil from that point forward to slowly build
up organic content. Spreading compost and manure or
decaying grass are ways for the property owner to get
organic matter to increase. When grass grows, then
dies and decays, this increases the organic matter
naturally. If grass or crops are removed (for example,
for use as hay) then little organic matter is produced.
The property owner should continue to apply organic
matter over the years and leave as much residue
behind as possible to build organic content.
This soil may also be high in salts, so the future use of
the soil will benefit from rain events. The more rain
received, the more salts leach out of the soil. In this
case, turning the soil is not recommended. Bermuda is
typically the best grass type because it can tolerate this
type of soil better than other grasses.
Healthy pasture land vegetation is not established
immediately after installation. Rather, it takes time,
and years of active maintenance and care to obtain the
desired cover. To fulfill and maximize the return on
the above investments, the property owner must
provide annual maintenance. This includes timely
applications of fertilizers and weed control, as well as
additional soil testing to evaluate the effectiveness of
the program. Also, mowing or brush hogging should
be performed on a routine basis, especially if grazing
by cattle or other farm animals is not occurring. This is
necessary to help control plant growth, prevent weeds,
and allow beneficial plants access to adequate
sunlight.
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For More Information
If you have questions about the cleanup taking place at
your property, contact Ursula Lennox, Operable Unit 4
Remedial Project Manager at 214-665-6743 or 1-800-
533-3508 (toll-free). Additional information about the
Tar Creek Superfund site can be found on the Internet
at:
http://www.epa. gov/region6/6sf/oklahoma/tar creek/
index.htm.
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Appendix E
History of Community Involvement
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
39
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History of Community Involvement
EPA has conducted a variety of community outreach activities in response to the community's specific
information needs.
Below are community involvement activities that have been conducted since the CIP was last updated in
2007.
Tar Creek Operable Unit 2 Community Outreach - 2007 through 2013
Community Outreach Activity
Date
Outreach Details
Congressional Delegation Updates
Ongoing
Periodic contacts to keep Oklahoma's U.S. Senators and
Congressman apprised of work underway and progress
being made at OU2.
OU2 Milestone Recognition Event
September 22, 2014
Event recognized the cities, towns, groups, and
individuals in Ottawa County that participated in cleanup
efforts. Media packages and a media advisory were
developed and provided to the local radio, newspaper
and television stations. Key stakeholders received
commemorative plaques, and all attendees received a
bookmark containing event details.
Progress report on remedial
action activities
September 2014
Update stakeholders on the progress of remedial
activities at OU2 and OU4.
Christmas/New Year's Holiday
Schedule
December 2013
Notification, combined with OU4, of reduced work
schedule for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Published in the Miami News Record December 19,
2013. Electronic copies shared with LEAD, Quapaw Tribe
for posting on websites, social media.
Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule
November 2013
Notification, combined with OU4, of reduced work
schedule for the Thanksgiving holiday. Published in the
Miami News Record November 24, 2013. Electronic
copies shared with LEAD, Quapaw Tribe for posting on
websites, social media.
Update on OU 2 Activities -
PowerPoint Presentation
September 19, 2013
Presentation by EPA Remedial Project Manager at the
15th National Tar Creek Conference
Updated flyer for Worker
Notification
March 2013
Updated previous flyer used to inform residents when
workers will be working on their yards/alleyways.
Updated flyer for Alleyway
Cleanup
March 2013
Updated previous flyer that informs residents about the
yard remediation and provides information on who they
can contact for more information, get signed up for
sampling and websites.
Christmas/New Year's Holiday
Schedule
December 2012
Notification, combined with OU4, of reduced work
schedule for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Published in the Miami News Record December 21,
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
40
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2012. Electronic copies shared with LEAD, Quapaw Tribe
for posting on websites, social media.
Availability Session
December 4, 2012
and December 6,
2012
Two sessions, combined with OU4. Notification fliers
sent to mailing list on November 21, notice published in
Miami News Record on November 21, 2012. Electronic
copies shared with LEAD, Quapaw Tribe for posting on
websites, social media. Work done under TO 008-
Remedial Multi-Sites CI.
Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule
November 2012
Notification, combined with OU4, of reduced work
schedule for the Thanksgiving holiday. Published in the
Miami News Record November 18, 2012. Electronic
copies shared with LEAD, Quapaw Tribe for posting on
websites, social media.
City of Miami Status Presentation
February 6, 2012
Alleyway cleanup flyer to leave at
properties undergoing cleanup to
provide detailed schedule for the
work
Begin November
2011
Used for the duration of the project.
Certified Mailings to property
owners seeking access
October 2010
through June 2012
Three mailings to 135 property owners. 14 access
agreements were obtained and three properties denied
access.
Do Not Enter Job Site Safety
Mailer
September 2011
Outreach to mailing list warning residents not to go onto
job site. Combined with OU4 field work. Also provided
information on how to inquire about employment, as
some of the entry issues involved local residents seeking
work.
"Expect Workers in Your
Neighborhood" flier
August 2011
Distributed in work areas, alerting property owners to
upcoming work and safety precautions they should take
Used for duration of project
Availability Session held at the
Miami Civic Center.
August 16, 2011
Invitations sent to 1,100+ mailing list. Posted on EPA,
City of Miami, and Quapaw Tribe websites.
Fact sheet to update stakeholders
on the progress of the project and
provide information on how to
participate
July 2011
Mailed to 1,100+ mailing list. Posted on EPA, City of
Miami, and Quapaw Tribe websites
Poster announcing final
opportunity to participate in yard
remediation program
January 2011
Poster was displayed in local municipal offices, the
project field office, and the graphic was used to illustrate
other outreach materials.
Fact sheet announcing final
opportunity to participate in yard
remediation program
October 2010
Mailed to 1,100+ stakeholders on the mailing list. Posted
on EPA, City of Miami, and Quapaw Tribe websites
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
41
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Newspaper notice announcing
final opportunity to participate in
yard remediation program
October 2010
Published in the:
Miami News Record - October 24, 2010
Afton-Fairland American - November 11, 2010
Green County Weekly - November 10, 2010
Joplin Globe - October 24, 2010
Property Owner letter announcing
that EPA will go door-to-door
seeking access agreements for the
work
October 2010
LEAD Agency Facebook page
Beginning October
2010
Provided contact information for those interested in
participating in the program.
EPATri-State Mining Waste Fact
Sheet (EPA530-F-07-016B)
June 2007
Distributed to the site mailing list, at public meetings,
and on EPA's website
Residential Yard Maintenance
Flyer
April 2007
Instructions to property owners on how to maintain
their remediated yard.
Residential Property Soil Sampling
Instructions
January 2007,
reissued April 2007
"Do It Yourself" instructions for residents to take soil
samples on their properties.
Tar Creek Operable Unit 4 Chat Removal and Sales Community Outreach - 2007 to 2013
Community Outreach Activity
Date
Outreach Details
Congressional Delegation Updates
Ongoing
Periodic contacts to keep Oklahoma's U.S. Senators and
Congressman apprised of work underway and progress
being made at OU4.
Progress report on remedial
action activities
September 2014
Update stakeholders on the progress of remedial
activities at OU2 and OU4.
Christmas/New Year's Holiday
Schedule
December 2013
Notification, combined with OU2, of reduced work
schedule for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Published in the Miami News Record December 19,
2013. Electronic copies shared with LEAD, Quapaw Tribe
for posting on websites, social media.
Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule
November 2013
Notification, combined with OU2, of reduced work
schedule for the Thanksgiving holiday. Published in the
Miami News Record November 24, 2013. Electronic
copies shared with LEAD, Quapaw Tribe for posting on
websites, social media.
Availability Sessions
September 17 and
18, 2013
Meeting with property owners to discuss status of
cleanup. Attendees notified through mailing to
individual property owners.
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
42
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Meet the Teacher Day at Quapaw
Elementary School
August 14, 2013
EPA contractor staffed a table at the school's entrance
and passed out information on haul routes for
construction trucks and discussed traffic safety with
parents/guardians/school children.
Christmas/New Year's Holiday
Schedule
December 21, 2012
Public notice published in the Miami News Record and
distributed (PDF) external stakeholders, including the
LEAD Agency and Quapaw Tribe for posting on websites,
social media.
Availability Sessions
December 4, 2012
and December 6,
2012
Two sessions, combined with OU4. Notification fliers
sent to mailing list on November 21, notice published in
Miami News Record on November 21, 2012. Electronic
copies shared with LEAD, Quapaw Tribe for posting on
websites, social media.
Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule
November 2012
Notification, combined with OU2, of reduced work
schedule for the Thanksgiving holiday. Published in the
Miami News Record November 18, 2012. Electronic
copies shared with LEAD, Quapaw Tribe for posting on
websites, social media.
Work Slowdown
June 2012
Postcard and public notice to stakeholders to assure
them that work was continuing, but cost considerations
may slow down the pace of the work.
Do Not Enter Job Site/Safety
March 2012
September 2011
Outreach to mailing list warning residents not to go onto
job site, ask for photo ID from anyone claiming to be
representing the agency. Sometimes combined with
OU2 field work. Also provided information on how to
inquire about employment, as some of the entry issues
involved local residents seeking work.
Truck Hauling Safety Outreach for
chat removal construction
activities
December 2011
through current
Fliers with written and visual description of routes,
public notices with descriptions of routes published in
Miami News Record, meetings with school bus drivers
and parents. Ongoing communication with schools.
Availability Session
April 12, 2011
Presentation to community members and opportunities
to meet one-on-one with EPA staff and learn about the
remedial action including, sampling efforts and the
access agreement process.
Fact Sheets/Information Bulletins
January 2012, July
2011, March 2011,
April 2010, January
2010
Distributed to mailing list, provided to field crews, pdfs
shared with stakeholder for posting on websites, social
media
Business Card Magnet
June 2010
Contact number for EPA, ODEQ, BIA and Quapaw Tribe.
Distributed in the community, at meetings.
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
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Chat Marketing Workshop
June 2010
Outreach included invitations mailers, public notices.
Packets to attendees included a CD with all program
materials.
Chat Use Workshop
August 2008
Outreach included postcard invitations, public notice,
information bulletin
Explanation of Significant
Differences
February-March 2010
Public notices were published in the Miami News
Record, Pittsburg Morning Sun, Baxter Springs News and
Joplin Globe, fact sheet, public meeting
Remedial Action
January 2010
Fact sheet update announcing beginning of remedial
action distributed to mailing list, information
repositories
Remedial Design
April 2009
Fact sheet update on status of remedial design
distributed to mailing list, information repositories
Record of Decision
February 2008
Public notices published in Miami News Record, fact
sheet
Proposed Plan
July 2007 - February
2008
Public notice published in Miami News Record, fact
sheet distributed to mailing list and at public meeting,
coordination meeting held with tribal representatives to
explain details of proposed plan
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
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Appendix F
Points of Contact
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
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EPA Regional Contacts
Robert Sullivan
Remedial Project Manager
OU1 and OU2
U.S. EPA, Region 6 (6SF-RL)
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
Tel: (214) 665-2223
Fax:(214) 665-6660
E-mail: sullivan.robert@epa.gov
Ursula Lennox
Remedial Project Manager
OU4
U.S. EPA, Region 6 (6SF-RL)
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
Tel: (214) 665-6743
Fax:(214) 665-6660
E-mail: lennox.ursula@epa.gov
Rafael Casanova
Remedial Project Manager
Catholic 40
U.S. EPA, Region 6 (6SF-RL)
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
Tel: (214) 665-7437
Fax:(214) 665-6660
E-mail: Casanova.rafael@epa.gov
Katrina Higgins-Coltrain
Remedial Project Manager
OU5
U.S. EPA, Region 6 (6SF-RL)
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
Tel: (214) 665-8143
Fax: (214) 665-6660
E-mail: coltrain.katrina@epa.gov
Janetta Coats
Community Involvement Coordinator
Technical Assistance Grant Project Officer
U.S. EPA, Region 6 (6SF-VO)
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
Tel: (214) 665-7308
Fax: (214) 665-6660
E-mail: coats.janetta@epa.gov
Donn Walters
Superfund Regional Public Liaison
U.S. EPA (6SF-VO)
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75202-2733
(214)665-6483
Fax: (214) 665-6660
E-mail: walters.donn@epa.gov
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
NOVEMBER 2014
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Federal and State Officials
Senator Tom Coburn
1800 South Baltimore, Suite 800
Tulsa, OK 74119
Senator James M. Inhofe
1924 S Utica Ave #530
Tulsa, OK 74104
Congressman Markwayne Mullin
District 2
431 W. Broadway
Muskogee, OK 74401
Paul Yates
Superintendent
Bureau of Indian Affairs
P.O. Box 391
Miami, OK 74351
Jonna Polk
Chief, Environmental and Cultural Resource
Division
Bureau of Indian Affairs
3100 W. Peak Blvd.
Muskogee, OK 74401
Dr. Edd Rhoades
Chief Medical Officer
Oklahoma State Health Department
1000 N.E. 10th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73117
Ramie Tirres
Oklahoma State Health Department
1000 N.E. 10th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73117
TAR CREEK SUPERFUND SITE CIP UPDATE
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Local Officials and Organizations
City of Miami
Mayor Rudy Schultz
City Manager Jeff Bishop
Community Development Director, Animal
Control Officer Mike Furnas
P.O. Box 1288
Miami, OK 74355
City of North Miami
Mayor Julian Leon Coombes
P.O. Box 53
North Miami, OK 74358
Ottawa County Commission
Commissioner John Clark
District 1
101 N. Connell Ave.
Picher, OK 74360
Commissioner Gary Wyrick
District 2
310 W. Walker
Wyandotte, OK 74370
Commissioner Russell Earls
District 3
P.O. Box 737
Fairland, OK 74343
Gateway Economic Development Association
Executive Director Ed Crone
P.O. Box Drawer B
Big Cabin, OK 74332
L.E.A.D. Agency
Rebecca Jim
223 A StSE
Miami, OK 74354
LICRAT
Dr. Mark Osborn
P.O. Box 673
Miami, OK 74355
Town of Afton
Mayor Billy Harrison
P.O. Box 250
Afton, OK 74331
Town of Commerce
Mayor Michael Hart
P.O. Box 99
Commerce, OK 74339
Town of Fairland
Mayor Mark Goode
P.O. Box 429
Fairland, OK 74343
Town of Peoria
Mayor Dennis Trease
246 East Main
Peoria, OK 74363
Town of Quapaw
Mayor Neal Watson
P.O. Box 706
Quapaw, OK 74363
Town of Wyandotte
Mayor Leon Crow
P.O. Box 240
Wyandotte, OK 74370
Oklahoma Conservation Commission
Cheryl Cheadle, State Blue Thumb Coordinator
Statewide Blue Thumb Program
128 East 3rd Street
Bristow, OK 74010
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Tribal Representatives
Cherokee Nation
Deputy Chief S. Joe Crittenden
Principal Chief Honorable Bill John Baker
Environmental Director Nancy John
P.O. Box 948
Tahlequah, OK 74465
Eastern Shawnee Tribe
Chief Honorable Glenna J. Wallace
Second Chief Jack Ross
Environmental Director Roxanne Weldon
P.O. Box 350
Seneca, MO 64865
Miami Tribe
Chief Honorable Douglas Lankford
Second Chief Dustin Old
Environmental Director Heather Webb
P.O. Box 1326
Miami, OK 74355-1326
Modoc Tribe
Chief Honorable Bill G. Follis
Second Chief Judy Cobb
Environmental Director Wes Davis
418 G Street, SE
Miami, OK 74354-8224
Ottawa Tribe
Chief Honorable Ethel E. Cook
Second Chief Bert Kleidon
Environmental Director Cheryl Stafford
P.O. Box 110
Miami, OK 74355
Peoria Tribe of Indians
Chief Honorable John P. Froman
Second Chief Jason Dollarhide
Environmental Coordinator Jim Dixon
P.O. Box 1527
Miami, OK 74355
Quapaw Tribe
Chairman Honorable John L. Berrey
Vice-Chairman Thomas Matthews,
Environmental Director Tim Kent
P.O. Box 765
Quapaw, OK 74363
Seneca-Cavuea Tribe
Chief Honorable William Fisher
Second Chief Terry Whitetree
Environmental Program Director Sherry Mead
23701 S. 655 Road, Highway 10
Grove, OK 74344
Shawnee Tribe
Chief Honorable Ron Sparkman
Second Chief Ben Barnes
Tribal Administrator Jodi Hayes
29 South Highway 69A
Miami, OK 74354
Wyandotte Nation
Chief Honorable Billy Friend
Second Chief Norman Hildebrand
Environmental Director Christen Lee
Environmental Assistant Kathleen Welch
64790 East Highway 60
Wyandotte, OK 74370
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Local and Regional News Media
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Associated Press
Jane Hagel
P.O. Box 1770
Tulsa, OK 74102
Grove Sun
Candy Rowe
27 W 3rd St., Ste. A
Grove, OK 74344
Miami News-Record
Brad Lyons
P.O. Box 940
Miami, OK 74355
Melinda Stotts
Kelso Sturgeon
14 1st Ave.
Miami, OK 74354
Joplin Globe
P.O. Box 7
Joplin, MO 64802
KOCO Channel 5
1300 E Britton Rd
Oklahoma City, OK 73131
Tulsa World
Jerry Fink
P.O. Box 1770
Tulsa, OK 74102
Shaun Schaffer
315 S. Boulder
Tulsa, OK 74103
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Appendix G
Superfund Glossary
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Superfund Glossary
CERCLA: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, commonly called
Superfund, as amended in 1986.
Community Involvement Plan (CIP): A document developed from community interviews and EPA guidelines
that outline Agency efforts to establish communication with the public. The CIP is designed to create
understanding of EPA programs and related actions, to assure public input into the decision-making process
in an affected community, and to make certain that the Agency is aware of and responsive to public
concerns. Specific community involvement activities are required during Superfund remedial actions.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA): A Federal law passed
in 1980 and amended in 1986 by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act. CERCLA created a
special tax that went into a Trust Fund, also known as Superfund, to support investigation and cleanup of
abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Under the program, EPA can either:
Perform site cleanup when parties responsible for the contamination cannot be located or
are unwilling or unable to perform the work; or
Take legal action to force parties responsible for Site contamination to clean up the site or
pay back the Federal government for the cost of the cleanup.
Community Involvement Coordinator (CIC): The EPA or State official responsible for overseeing and
directing public involvement activities for a site.
Ground water: Water found beneath the earth's surface that fills cracks and pores in layers of sand, soil, and
rock. When ground water occurs in sufficient quantities, it can be used as source of water for drinking,
irrigation, and other purposes.
Hazard Ranking System (HRS): A model used to evaluate potential risks to public health and the
environment from releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances.
Heavy Metals: Metallic elements such as lead, arsenic and cadmium that can damage living things at
relatively low concentrations and tend to accumulate in the food chain.
Information Repository: A file containing current information, technical reports, and reference documents
regarding a Superfund site. The information repository is usually in a public building that is convenient for
local residents, such as a public school, city hall, or library.
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP): The Federal regulation that
provides a blueprint for Superfund program operations.
National Priorities List (NPL): EPA's list of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste
sites identified for possible long-term remedial response using money from the Trust Fund. The list is based
primarily on the score a site receives from the Hazard Ranking System. EPA updates the list at least once a
year.
On-Scene Coordinator: The EPA or State official who directs operations at the scene of a removal action.
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Remedial Project Manager: The EPA or State official responsible for overseeing remedial response activities
for a site.
Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS): Two distinct but related studies. They often are performed
at the same time and together referred to as the "RI/FS." These studies are intended to:
Gather the information necessary to determine the type and extent of contamination at a
Superfund site;
Establish criteria for a site remedy;
Identify and screen alternatives for remedial action, and analyze in detail the technology and costs
of the alternatives.
Superfund: The common name used for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act.
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