environment
Mining made this US tribal area a toxic wasteland. This Indigenous nation brought it back to life
The Quapaw Nation is the only US Native community to carry out a cleanup of one of the country’s worst sites of environmental contamination
TL;DR
- The Quapaw Nation is the first and only US Native community to manage and carry out a Superfund cleanup.
- The Tar Creek Superfund site, historically contaminated by lead and zinc mining, is one of the country's largest environmental disasters.
- The tribe took control of the cleanup when federal funding ran out, using their own resources and employees.
- Remediated land is being restored for agricultural purposes, including row crops and cattle grazing.
- The cleanup process has generated jobs for tribal members and contributed to the Quapaw's food sovereignty and economic independence.
- Historically, the land was used for agriculture before mining decimated its productivity and health.
- Lead poisoning from the contaminated site significantly affected Native American children in the area.