The lawsuits seek damages for the alleged personal injuries and physical damages suffered by residents during the city’s water crisis, which began with the decision to use the Flint River as a temporary source of drinking water starting in April 2014, while the city was being run by a state-appointed emergency manager.
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Under Snyder’s tenure, the city switched their water supply from the Detroit-based system to corroded waters from the Flint River.
Embattled Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to discuss the tap water contamination crisis in Flint, as well as other issues such as the teachers’ “sickouts” in Detroit during his State of the State address tonight at 7:00 ET.
Clinton had also already dispatched two of her top aides – including one with years of experience working for a MI senator – to the state to assist Flint Mayor Karen Weaver (D) with whatever she needed.
President Obama’s Press Secretary said on Tuesday that Obama is still planning on visiting Detroit and the North American International Auto Show on Wednesday, but will not be travelling to Flint. Residents had been pleading with the state to act since the summer, saying their water was discolored and foul-smelling, but Republican Gov. Rick Snyder did not declare a state of emergency until mid-December. And now we have a lot of kids in Flint who have elevated lead levels, and the fear is all the attendant health problems that go along with it. FEMA has been providing bottled water – some 71,000 liters to date – and filters to Flint residents. President Barack Obama signed a disaster declaration for Michigan Saturday, releasing $5 million in federal funding, and the National Guard was deployed to Flint to help deliver clean water to residents.
The Republican has little choice but to devote much of Tuesday’s address to the emergency, which has put Flint families at risk for lead exposure and engulfed his administration with criticism from across the nation. Though the Flint River was laden with toxic chemicals, including lead, state and local officials insisted for months that water from the river was safe.
“Lead poisoning is something that has plagued poor communities in cities and people of color”, he said.
The Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will coordinate the federal response to the crisis. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, call for Snyder’s resignation, Clinton noted the high levels of poverty in Flint and the fact that its population is largely African American. Since that time, residents have issued complaints about the color, odor, and taste of the water, but their concerns went unnoticed.
However, the attacks on Snyder omit any mention of former Democratic Flint Mayor Dayne Walling or the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The paper also cited email exchanges between EPA officials and Walling showing what it described as a “lack of urgency” over the matter and a greater focus on procedure rather than public safety.
The other lawsuit was filed Friday in the state Court of Claims.
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Walling was voted out in November, with the water issue cited as a reason for his loss.
