Muchmore, who said the Flint water crisis had nothing to do with his decision to leave state government to become a government relations consultant, pegged Snyder’s awareness that there was in fact a problem to late September.
Advertisement
The governor said Friday that the needs of people in Flint “far exceed the state’s capability” – and MI needs help. Nine days later, the governor announced that he had asked the Obama administration to designate the county surrounding Flint as a federal emergency area.
The corrosive nature of Flint’s drinking water is causing lead from pipes and pathogens to get into the town’s water supply, according to a study by Virginia Tech.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette on Friday launched an investigation into a water crisis in Flint, where residents have been exposed to contaminants.
“The situation in Flint is a human tragedy in which families are struggling with the most basic parts of daily life”. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said the request is under review and will be considered “expeditiously”.
Snyder declared an emergency in Flint earlier this month.
Former Flint emergency financial manager Darnell Earley (now emergency manager for the Detroit Public Schools), and former Flint Public Works director Howard Croft, now resigned, are also named as defendants.
Making matters worse, Mr. Snyder reported this week that Genessee County, which includes Flint, has seen a spike in Legionnaires’ disease since the initial water switch.
Flint went back to Detroit water in October, but some fear the old pipes were so damaged that they must be replaced, at costs estimated as high as $1.5 billion. Plus, 43 children ended up with levels of lead tested in their blood. Exposure to lead can cause behavior problems and learning disabilities in children as well as kidney ailments in adults.
“At this point, I’m quite limited in what I can say about attributing any sort of blame for this particular situation, primarily because the Department of Justice is taking a look at this question”, he said.
September 29: Gov. Rick Snyder pledges to take action in response to the lead levels.
The crisis is already under investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency and federal prosecutors.
As National Guard troops patrol Flint handing out bottled water, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder defended his handling of the crisis and defied calls for him to resign. But protesters, who marched onto the Michigan Capitol Building Thursday, say they’re going to keep the pressure on the governor, who admits that it will be a challenge to regain residents’ support.
Advertisement
“The best thing for the people of Flint is that every effort is focused on solving this emergency, getting the aid needed to help the residents, and ensuring that clean drinkable water is restored to the city”, Snyder press secretary Dave Murray said Saturday in an email to The Detroit News. This tactic was meant to last two years until a new state-run line was created for the lake, The Los Angeles Times writes. Even with a filter, she said, she does not feel safe letting her children, ages 17, 8 and 5, use the tap water in her house on Flint’s west side.
