As part of cost-cutting, the city began drawing water from the Flint River in April 2014 rather than continuing to buy it from Detroit.
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An official announcement from the White House said the president “ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions in the area affected by the contaminated water”.
The order authorizes FEMA to provide water, filters, filter cartridges and other needed items, FEMA spokesman Rafael Lemaitre said on Twitter. Flint can get up to $5 million in direct funding, though the state must match 25 percent and more money can be provided through an act of Congress.
He said the need in the city of nearly 100,000 people “far exceeds the state’s capability” and sought a disaster declaration. Governor Snyder sent two requests to the president: one asking the president to allow immediate assistance for water, food, and generators and another asking the president to declare a major disaster, which could qualify the city for millions of federal dollars to provide long-term solutions to the aging infrastructure.
Moore, surrounded on Saturday by dozens of flag-waving and sign-toting Flint residents in front of the city’s municipal complex, said he must “insist” that Obama visit on Wednesday, the same day the president is scheduled to tour the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
“I appreciate the President approving my federal emergency request and supporting Flint during this critical situation”, said Snyder.
The water crisis in Flint – the MI city grappling with toxic lead contamination in its drinking water following a cost-saving measure – is now getting high-level attention from the state’s top legal official.
The question of who knew about the danger – and when – has led to a political crisis in Flint, with protesters calling for the governor’s resignation.
Flint returned to using Detroit water in October.
However, they did not treat the water properly, which led to lead and other metals leaching from old pipes. Lead exposure can cause learning disabilities and behavioural problems in children.
A state-appointed task force preliminarily found that fault lies with the state DEQ, and on December 29 director Dan Wyant stepped down.
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The US Justice Department is helping the Environmental Protection Agency investigate the lead-poisoning crisis.
