Michigan Legislature approves nearly $10 million to address the Flint water crisis

Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, thanked his colleagues in the Republican-controlled chamber Thursday for moving so quickly on a matter of public health for the city he represents.

Flint’s water has been plagued with high lead levels since the switch 18 months ago. But the administration changed its mind last week when it confirmed findings by the Hurley Medical Center that lead levels in Flint children jumped dramatically after the switch to the corrosive Flint River. “It’s a public health emergency”.

Flint’s Finest auto Club President Chris Bolds and Vice President French Jones delivered 100 cases of water donated by the Flint’s Finest vehicle Club to the worldwide Academy of Flint. In addition, Episcopal Relief and Development, an global relief organization, granted the diocese $5,000 to support clean water for Flint residents.

City officials have announced the city is returning to the old water source, Lake Huron. Increased bacteria levels forced boil-water advisories.

The vote occurred almost a week after Gov. Rick Snyder called for Flint to switch back to Detroit while waiting for a pipeline to be completed.

“The protocols were being followed as established by the U.S. EPA, in terms of the testing that needed to be done”, Gov. Snyder said. “We need to make sure this never happens again”. It was the first time in over 50 years that the city was not using water from Detroit. We have so many disparities here in Flint from poverty to violence.

The real tragedy, says Hanna-Attisha, is that no matter what actions officials take now, the affects of those who have been poisoned with lead will last a lifetime.