No rebuilding in Picher, but buyout will continue as planned
PICHER — State and federal officials announced today that no government money will be used to rebuild homes destroyed by a tornado Saturday, but the federally funded Tar Creek buyout would proceed as normal.
"The storm may hasten the process instead of slowing it down," said Gov. Brad Henry after his second tour of the mammoth devastation.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Dave Paulison, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Tulsa and Congressman Dan Boren, D-Muskogee toured the area with Henry.
Inhofe and Boren echoed Henry's comments regarding the buyout process during a news conference.
"Nothing will change," Inhofe said referring residences that were scheduled to be appraised and destroyed in Saturday's storm.
A different methodology will be used to come up with an appraisal, he said.
"Where ever you were in the (buyout) process, you are still there. Nothing has changed," Inhoffe said.
Picher residents returned to rubble piles and continued the laborious process of retrieving personal items after Saturday's mile-wide, EF-4 tornado nearly flatten the former lead and zinc mining community.
"This is historic destruction," Henry said. "But we Oklahomans are tough."
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