METH MESS

Who'll Pay Cleanup Costs

Oklahoma's congressional delegation needs to wield some clout to make sure
the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation receives funds to clean up
illegal methamphetamine labs.

Gov. Frank Keating has written to Attorney General Janet Reno asking her to
work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to find an additional
$500,000 needed by the OSBI to continue cleanup of these hazardous sites
through June.

Oklahoma ranks third in the nation in the number of meth labs seized.

For the past three years, money for cleanups has come from the Community
Oriented Policing Services program, administered by DEA. That program is
out of money.

Over the past year, the OSBI has processed 824 meth lab cases with the help
of $930,000 from the DEA. The OSBI spent an additional $110,000 during the
same period.

The proliferation of meth labs across the state prompted the OSBI this year
to seek an additional $1.3 million from the Legislature to hire additional
lab workers and investigators.

The 900 labs expected to be processed this year compare with 781 a year ago
and only 269 in 1998.

What this all means is that if a sheriff, in a rural area, calls OSBI,
agents will process the site but it soon will have no money for cleanup.

The OSBI is required by state law to coordinate the cleanup, transportation
and disposal of chemicals from meth lab sites.

Meanwhile, OSBI officials have met with leaders in the state House and
Senate to discuss a supplemental appropriation. The agency has about two
weeks worth of meth lab funds left and is asking for $500,000 to process an
anticipated 276 meth labs before the fiscal year ends.

"This isn't just a plea for money; we budget conservatively," OSBI
spokeswoman Kym Koch said. "We consider this a crisis."

The problem also is a public health issue. With more meth labs being
detected in public places -- motels, state parks and apartment buildings --
citizens are increasingly exposed to toxic fumes and potentially explosive
chemicals. Meth dealers don't clean up after themselves. Somebody's going
to have to come up with the money to protect us all.