Governor Rick Snyder spent part of his morning at a food bank in Flint taking a tour and joining volunteers packing boxes of food for those in need.
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Recently, however, a citizens group called Progress Michigan uncovered internal documents from Snyder’s budget department revealing that in January of previous year the agency’s honchos were so alarmed by Flint’s toxin-laced H2O that they supplied coolers filled with bottled water for their employees in the Flint office. If charged with involuntary manslaughter, the guilty party involved could face up to 15 years in prison. He also reiterated the possibility of charges for misconduct in office. The failure to deploy corrosion controls after the switch is considered a catastrophic mistake that enabled lead to leach from aging pipes and reach some homes.
“I’m cooperating will all the formal investigations in terms of the legal side with the U.S.attorney and the attorney general”.
Flint is under a state of emergency because of lead-tainted water.
State health officials defended their response to the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Flint, discounting concerns that infighting hurt public health.
The Republican governor, who has come under fire for the health crisis in Flint due to unsafe drinking water and for the financial crisis at DPS under emergency managers he appointed, told lawmakers that resources to address the problems are available due to the state’s improving economy. It was an interim measure while a new pipeline to Lake Huron is being built. The river water wasn’t treated properly and the river’s highly corrosive water scraped lead from pipes and fixtures.
If consumed, lead can cause developmental delays and learning disabilities.
“And we don’t yet know what the city of Flint was telling the state or EPA. It’s an opportunity to help people, and we want to help people”, he said.
Snyder said he also proposed $165 million to go to a state infrastructure fund, as “now is the time to act on the whole infrastructure issue across the state of MI”, so that makes a total amount of $400 million devoted to Flint and the state’s water infrastructure “in some fashion”. Mayor Karen Weaver said households where residents are deemed to be high-risk will be given priority.
“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”.
“What happened here was so egregious – officials knew what was going on and they ignored it, they remained in-different to it – this particular crisis deserves as much attention as possible. The only thing I’d ask is they give me a chance”.
Many have been angry with the governor for not spending time with the victims of the crisis.
Snyder will deliver his annual budget proposal to lawmakers on Wednesday.
“I am hoping to either have a conference call or a meeting in Flint with all the partners to review the results and discuss how we will present the information to the public”, Krisztian wrote. “The success of the Fast Start plan will require coordination between the city, state and federal officials as well as funding from the Michigan Legislature, Congress or both”.
Deputy chief investigator Ellis Stafford, a Flint native, said he has a personal stake in the crisis.
The work would be similar to ongoing lead pipe removal in Lansing.
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U.S. Agriculture officials also announced Wednesday that at least 28 Flint-area schools are eligible for a program providing access to school meals to all students.
