Letter to The Honorable Lisa Jackson, Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency

Letter

Letter to The Honorable Lisa Jackson, Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency

Senator Roberts Invites EPA Administrator to Treece in August; Continues to Fight for Buy-Out with Stimulus Funds

Following up on her promise "to make every effort" to see firsthand, dangerous and contaminated conditions in Treece, Kansas, Senator Roberts sent Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson an invitation to join him in Cherokee County in August.

The following is the text of the letter:

The Honorable Lisa Jackson
Administrator
United States Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460

Dear Ms. Jackson:

"Thank you for our discussions during the recent Senate Agriculture Committee hearing and for agreeing to make every effort to visit Treece, Kansas. I appreciate your acknowledging the serious situation this small, rural community faces.

"I invite you to join me on a visit to the community on August 19th, 20th or 21st. I am certain you will find this trip to the Cherokee County Superfund Site extremely beneficial in understanding the hardships Kansans in the area experience every day. As I have long stated, the EPA is to be commended for removing contaminated soil and attempting to clean up toxic sites. However, I remain concerned these actions do not offer long-term solutions for an area experiencing subsidence.

"I remain steadfast in my belief that using $3 million of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus) would provide the most acceptable long-term solution. Any money spent on relocating roughly 100 residents will be re-invested in surrounding communities and offer expanded opportunities for regional growth and prosperity. Without relocation assistance the residents living in Treece have no options.

"Furthermore, EPA cleanup efforts continue to pollute the local air and water quality without addressing threats of subsidence. EPA Region 7 recently informed me that a ten-year time frame for clean up is expected. However, without addressing the threat of land sinking in on itself, property owners have no market value. With the federal buyout of Picher, Oklahoma, Treece is left without a gas station, grocer, bank, school and public services. Unfortunately, a state line literally means a night and day difference.

"Again, thank you for you for making the effort to visit Treece. Please let me know if you will be able to accompany me on one of the dates mentioned above. I look forward to working with you to help those living in Treece."

In June, Senator Roberts prevented the waste of taxpayer stimulus dollars from being used to pave the same road twice in Cherokee County. He continues to push for a federal buy-out of the community.

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