Gov. Rick Snyder is asking the Legislature to approve $30 million in funds that would go to Flint to reimburse residents for the money they’ve spent on water that was improperly treated and in some cases has tested astronomically high for lead.
Advertisement
Earlier Tuesday, Ananich criticized Snyder for an inadequate, slow response to the crisis, raising concerns about lead testing, water bills and a delay in helping children absorb less lead with nutritional programs.
State Department of Environmental Quality officials belatedly acknowledged the mistake after months of complaints by residents about the discolored, malodorous water causing a variety of ailments.
Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons carries cases of bottled water as he hand-delivers them to Flint resident Nakeyja Cade, 24, a mother of three, as he makes stops throughout Flint, listening to their personal stories to understand the issue on the ground level in Flint, Mich., on Monday.
The hearing is the first on Capitol Hill since the lead contamination crisis in Flint made national news previous year. The 274 pages cover 2014 and 2015.
While the governor works to handle the situation the House Oversight committee will handle a situation of their own.
The tap water in Flint, population 99,000, became contaminated after the city switched from the Detroit water system to the Flint River while a pipeline to Lake Huron is under construction.
U.S. attorney’s spokeswoman Gina Balaya in Detroit told The Associated Press in an email Tuesday that her office also is working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
A Federal Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman said the agency was determining if federal laws were broken, but declined further comment.
Detroit schools emergency manager Darnell Earley, who was state-appointed emergency manager for Flint when its water source was switched, had been asked to testify at Wednesday’s hearing but declined. Lead contamination has been linked to learning disabilities and other problems.
Advertisement
“A top EPA water official, though, painted the state as the chief culprit, claiming the MDEQ incorrectly advised the City of Flint that corrosion control treatment was not necessary, resulting in leaching of lead into the City’s drinking water”. Since then, Snyder has faced repeated questions about when he first knew there was too much lead in Flint’s drinking water. The U.S. attorney’s office in Detroit said in January that it was investigating the water crisis with the EPA.
