For Immediate Release: February 19, 2026
Contact: Skylar McElhaney, skylar.mcelhaney@deq.ok.gov
The public is invited to attend the Tar Creek Superfund Site Open House on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Miami Civic Center Banquet Hall,129 5th Ave NW, in Miami. Representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 (EPA), and the Quapaw Nation (QN) will provide information and answer community questions about the Tar Creek Superfund Site. As this is a family-friendly event, there will be food trucks, and fun, educational kids’ activities available.
Additional agencies will participate in this event and will offer resources focused on promoting the health and safety of the community. There will be blood lead testing for children 15 years of age and under and sign-ups for free residential yard testing for residents of Ottawa County. Residents may also bring any household item (such as toys, jewelry, cookware) and get it tested for lead.
This forum is to encourage discussions and question and answer opportunities and to provide visual aids and educational materials to Ottawa County residents. The forum will begin with an agency representative providing a brief update on ongoing projects, including chat pile cleanup, residential soil cleanup, and watershed investigation activities. The remaining portion will be an open session in which the public will have the opportunity to talk directly with representatives.
This open house will be in-person only, with no virtual options provided
For more information about the upcoming Open House, please contact: Janetta Coats, EPA at 214-665-7308, Sara Goyer, EPA at 214-665-6774, or Rich Zamor, DEQ at 405-702-5294.
Media inquiries should be directed to Skylar McElhaney, DEQ Communications Director, at skylar.mcelhaney@deq.ok.gov.
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