Two years ago, Flint Michigan switched its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River, just to save a buck on water bills.
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The first criminal charges have been filed in Flint’s lead-tainted water crisis, including allegations that two state regulators and a Flint water plant supervisor tampered with evidence and that the state regulators knowingly misled U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials and the county health department. He allegedly changed results after testing the water in Flint to show that the lead content was less severe than in reality.
“They failed in their responsibilities to protect the health and safety of families of Flint”, says Schutte. The felony charges could each entail four to five years in prison, while the misdemeanors could mean fines of up to $10,000.
Schuette noted the investigation remains fully active and that the charges filed today do not preclude additional charges at a later date.
Governor Snyder released a statement saying that he supports the investigation, despite being many Flint residents’ target.
On Tuesday, during a visit to Flint, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced he would drink Flint’s water for the next 30 days.
Asked Wednesday if he felt he did anything criminally wrong, Snyder said he didn’t want to get into speculation but added, “I don’t believe so”.
Snyder said Wednesday afternoon that he has not been questioned or interviewed as part of Schuette’s investigation, though he said his office has been cooperating with the probe.
No matter how many people are charged with crimes against the people of Flint, the residents will still be saddled with the aftermath of 18 months of water poisoning.
Steven Busch from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is facing several counts including one count of misconduct, two counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of violation of the Michigan Safe Drinking Act.
A short time later, Attorney General Bill Schuette started an independent review into what happened and how it happened. But he said the first round of criminal counts are just the beginning and that more would come.
Glasgow on Wednesday was placed on unpaid leave, city of Flint spokeswoman Kristin Moore said. Their attorneys did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Virginia Tech researchers even revealed that the lead content in the Flint River was at toxic and poisonous levels. “Indeed, they failed us all”, Schuette said.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, pitched the Water Resources Development Act as a way for both the package introduced on Wednesday and the more immediate Flint aid being shopped around by the MI senators to get passed. State officials denied the lead problem for months – despite kids developing rashes and hair loss – but eventually admitted they knew what was wrong and started once again sourcing the city’s water from the Detroit supply.
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Prysby and Busch were charged with misconduct in office, a law that allows prosecutors to charge public officials with violating common law – those established before colonists came to the United States. Finally, Prysby and Busch are accused of not requiring Flint to treat its corrosive river water with chemicals that could have prevented lead from leaching from pipes in violation of the act. Residents are using filters and bottled water until pipes are effectively recoated with a protective layer formed by anti-corrosion chemicals. There are also concerns about miscarriages, imminent learning disabilities in children and Legionnaires’ disease.
