Tar Creek Superfund site

It can enter the body when contaminated dust is inhaled or when lead-bearing soil and dust are swallowed, especially by young children.

In 1983, the EPA declared Pitcher part of the Tar Creek Superfund site, one of the largest in American history.

Blood testing found alarming rates of elevated lead levels among area children.

In a 1996 survey, more than 38% of the pitcher children tested had blood lead levels at or above the threshold then considered elevated, compared with roughly 2% of Oklahoma children statewide.

Childhood lead exposure is associated with reduced cognitive ability, learning problems, and behavioral effects.

The federal government spent years studying the site and proposing remediation plans.

The underground mines had also flooded, and the resulting acid mine drainage turned Tar Creek itself bright orange.

a color so vivid it could be seen from the air.