Developing healthy, safe, affordable and modern water and wastewater systems is one of the key items on the Mayors’ agenda. The river already had sufficient levels of phosphates to nourish bacteria and adding more would have had no effect on them, he said. “We’ll let the investigations determine who’s to blame for Flint’s Water Crisis, but I’m focused on solving it”, Weaver says.
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Last month, the president signed an emergency declaration for Flint, setting in motion a federal response but setting no specific funding commitment for the city, which has been struggling with high lead levels blamed on corrosive river water leaching lead from old service pipes.
He said he could also pursue restitution against both private companies and governments on behalf of Flint residents affected by the water crisis, according to the Detroit News. He also reiterated the possibility of charges for misconduct in office. The lawsuit said the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority hid elevated lead levels from customers and federal authorities between 2001 and 2004, and failed to take steps to remedy the situation. Conditions are ripe for such a revolution if public agencies continue to hide their mistakes and push the boundaries of peoples’ confidence in their officials.
“We’re not going to shortchange justice”, said Schuette, the attorney general, sitting beside Flood, Arena and another investigator. It was an interim measure while a new pipeline to Lake Huron is being built.
Lead affects the central nervous system, especially in children aged 6 and younger and can cause learning problems and hyperactivity.
The Snyder administration is reviewing Weaver’s plan, but it may take more time to agree on a plan for removing lead pipes.
Gov. Rick Snyder has declined his invitation to testify in front of the congressional Steering and Policy Committee today. Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette said Tuesday the “reset button has been pushed” because of crisis over Flint’s water being contaminated with lead, and he is hopeful that lawmakers will broaden the law.
“If you think about it, this is the biggest case in the history of the state of MI, right?”
“We have performed over one hundred and sixty lead tests throughout the city since switching over to the Flint River and remain within the EPA standards”.
The FBI says it will join the ongoing investigation into the toxic water in Flint, Michigan. Snyder, following his annual State of the State address, released some emails from 2014 and 2015.
A Michigan Democrat, U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, is sponsoring an emergency bill that would spend $765 million to help Flint fix and replace lead-contaminated pipes and provide a health and educational support for children poisoned by lead-contaminated water. Flint Mayor Karen Weaver outlined a $55 million public works project, which could begin within a month and gives priority to high-risk households with pregnant women and children, the Detroit Free Press reported. “All lead pipes need to be replaced”. The mayor said her proposal will require funding from the MI legislature or the US Congress.
“Gov. Snyder is including money in his budget request on Wednesday to address Flint water infrastructure”.
“I invite Gov. Snyder and his team to pledge their full cooperation to help us get this done”, Weaver said. “We look forward to assistance from any source possible”, she said. McDaniel will work to coordinate the lead pipe removal project.
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Weaver says they want to swap out about 15,000 within a year. He compared charging officials with manslaughter over the water crisis to charging construction workers with the same crime for leaving open manholes unattended, resulting in death.
