#6: Tar Creek, OK

Water sampling at Tar Creek | Photo courtesy of the LEAD Agency

Tar Creek flows through what was once some of the richest grasslands of the Southern Plains but is now one of the country’s largest Superfund sites. Heavy metals from mining have contaminated the creek for decades, and cleanup efforts continue to fall short, threatening the health of Indigenous communities and other local residents. The Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, state of Oklahoma and tribes must work together to develop a landscape-scale solution to clean up the pollution and safeguard public health.

American Rivers appreciates the collaboration and efforts of our partners:

• Local Environmental Action Demanded (LEAD) Agency
• Anthropocene Alliance
• University of Oklahoma Center for Restoration of Ecosystems and Watersheds