The city’s water supply was contaminated with toxic levels of lead, when its source was changed from Lake Huron to the Flint River.
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Photos of yellow and brown water, concern from health officials and even letters from Girl Scouts have helped turn a national spotlight on the water crisis plaguing the residents of Flint, Michigan.
The state says about 70 guard members will be stationed Monday in Flint, more than double the earlier number in place.
The more corrosive water from the Flint River leached lead from city pipes more than Detroit water did, leading to the current problems. On Saturday, President Obama declared a state of emergency, providing federal assistance after a long overdue request from the Republican governor.
FEMA’s denial stems from the fact the Flint water contamination was a man-made crisis, not a natural disaster. This year, Snyder speaks under the cloud of the contaminated Flint River and a firestorm of criticism he is facing in his home state, nationally and on the presidential campaign trail.
Snyder is likely to call on the legislature to approve a package of aid for Flint that includes ongoing water testing, testing for children and adults as well as monies to prevent water shutoffs.
Hillary Clinton, who slammed Snyder’s handling of the crisis during her interview with Rachel on Thursday, highlighted the issue again during last night’s debate, again attacking the governor’s slow, inept response. “Maybe there should be duct tape around the city because Flint is a crime scene”, Jackson said. “That was a ideal storm for that lead to leach out of the pipes into the drinking water and into the bodies of children”.
“Obviously, I care”, Snyder said of Clinton’s comments Monday morning in Flint, the Detroit News reported.
Joining the political heavies are familiar names out of Hollywood, some of the city’s favorite sons and daughters, namely filmmaker Michael Moore, actress Sandra Bernhard and singer-actress Cher.
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.
“It feels personal and it makes us all, people who are in Flint and people who are tied to Flint, very, very angry”, Flint native Jeff Brown told WXYZ.
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McCarthy’s remarks come after news that agency officials knew there was lead in Flint’s water at least six months before state regulators admitted in October to using the wrong standards for keeping lead pollution out of drinking water. “The governor’s going to speak directly to the people of Flint about what the state is doing and will continue to do to address this disaster”.
