Even though the city reconnected to the Detroit water system in October, local and state officials have warned pregnant women and young children against using the water unless it has been tested because lead levels continue to exceed what can be handled by a filter.
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The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill, sponsored by Kildee, on Wednesday that would require the EPA to notify local communities of high lead levels in drinking water if the state does not. In a statement, he said $195 million would be spent on safe drinking water, food, and nutrition, as well as physical health for “the children and residents of Flint”.
The amendment also addresses educating groups and “vulnerable populations” that may be at a greater risk from drinking contaminated water from lead pipes.
The EPA did not notify the public for months after learning that MI officials were not treating Flint’s water. Snyder was invited but declined citing his need to present the budget in Lansing. In January, Snyder appointed a committee of experts to come up with solutions.
Kildee is expected in introduced the Familes of Flint Act to get more more money for residents.
– The Flint Water Crisis was front and center with Washington Democrats during a hearing in D.C. on Wednesday.
In Flint, most of the blame has been placed on the DEQ for failing to require corrosion controls upfront when Flint switched from the Detroit water system to the more corrosive Flint River in 2014, leading to lead being leached from old service pipes into residents’ taps. “It went into an aging infrastructure that was predominantly lead-based and the water was not being used as much because of decreased population and exorbitant water rates”, she said. “What I will say is the president and this administration is very supportive of providing what help the federal government can to Flint, and we’re prepared to work with Congress in whatever way they think makes sense on strategy”.
Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said Snyder’s allocation of $25 million to remove lead pipes falls short of the estimated $55 million price tag.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget includes nearly $200 million dedicated to Flint next year.
On Tuesday, state officials said they were taking Flint’s water crisis seriously.
When confronted by reporters, the GOP candidates have avoided answering questions about the failures of Gov. Snyder, a Republican whose endorsement could help deliver a potential swing state to the candidates.
“The children of Flint are just as precious as the children of any part of America”, she said at the House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church.
It will be the second by lawmakers on Flint’s lead contamination, and the second at which Snyder will not testify.
The governor said the fund is a first step toward addressing other infrastructure issues months after the approval of a transportation-spending plan.
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Late yesterday, Flood made a point to say that his investigation was still open to the possibility that city officials never meant to act in bad faith and that Flint’s entire water crisis stemmed from “honest mistakes”.
