"I write again regarding the dire situation in Treece, Kansas. I have received the response from EPA Region 7, which responded to my letter to you, and am deeply dissatisfied with their actions on your behalf. I believe this needs your personal attention given the health and welfare of so many at stake. During your upcoming visit to Kansas, I ask that you visit Treece and the Cherokee County Superfund site to see firsthand the interconnectedness of Treece and Picher, Oklahoma.

"While I appreciate the efforts made by EPA Region 7 to clean up environmental wastes in Treece, I remain steadfast in my belief that relocating approximately 100 residents should be priority number one. In a recent Senate floor speech, I made it known that spending taxpayers’ hard earned money to put clean soil on top of contaminated soil only to see all of the soil fall into a sinkhole is inappropriate. First and foremost, the federal government should protect public safety, and those living in Treece need your help.

"Once the same community, Treece and Picher have only recently been dealt different priorities from the federal government. The past few years have seen a federal buyout succeed in Picher while those living in Treece have become isolated and lost nearly all infrastructure and businesses. As the population exits Picher, the former city caves in. In Treece, people remain in their homes as the earth around and below them caves in. Unfortunately, those who remain in Treece have no other options because their property has no market value. They are unable to sell their homes because property located on a potential sinkhole has no buyers.

"To reiterate, I support your Agency’s mission "to protect human health and the environment." In order to fully reach this mission in Treece, it is necessary to first relocate the 100 inhabitants and then complete any necessary environmental restoration of the landscape. Using stimulus money to re-mediate soil that will collapse on itself, with young children living nearby, is unacceptable. I urge you to utilize $3 million in stimulus funds to voluntarily relocate those living in Treece."

Earlier this month Senator Roberts called attention to another example of waste of stimulus funds in Cherokee County, when taxpayer dollars were to be used to pave the same road twice, over sinkholes, near Treece. Senator Roberts thanked Vice President Biden for immediately addressing the situation in part. The road will now be paved only once, but still over sinkholes.

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