House approves $30 million to help pay Flint water bills

The city of Flint also received a $2 million dollar grant from this program in February 2015 to finance water system infrastructure improvements.

The Financially Distressed Cities, Villages and Townships Grant is created to ensure that funding can be used to ensure the safety, reliability and sustainability of the city’s water system.

While Snyder said that the ultimate goal is to replace those lead service lines, an infrastructure study needs to be done first.

Snyder also has said he’s hopeful that the federal government will expand Medicaid coverage to people under 21 and pregnant women who have been exposed to Flint’s water.

But, despite the costs, officials say fixing the city’s lead lines must remain a priority for Flint’s residents and the city’s financial future.

Weaver has asked for $55 million for her lead pipe replacement plan.

“In light of the recent controversy regarding Flint water, (we) would like to emphasize that for decades, Detroit’s water has not only met, but exceeded EPA standards for lead control”, the statement read.

A supplemental funding bill, pending final legislative approval, will allocate an additional $30 million to aid the city of Flint in crediting a portion of residents’ water bills going back to April 2014 for water that was unsuitable for consumption. As a result lead, a neurotoxin, and other contaminants seeped into the water through the pipes.

The CRS identified regulatory implementation, monitoring protocols, compliance, oversight issues and the lead regulation itself as contributing factors in the failure to effectively prevent, identify and respond to high lead levels in Flint’s drinking water.

That aid comes as a new congressional report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service said the Environmental Protection Agency waited too long to take enforcement action after learning of elevated lead levels in Flint’s tap water. “We want them to get tested and to educate themselves, because when you educate yourself, you arm yourself and you better prepare yourself to deal with the situation”. The amount was proposed by Snyder last week in his budget presentation.

“It was the third time in a series of months that we backed sending needed dollars to the city of Flint”, Cotter said.

As The Guardian reported, potentially thousands of Flint residents could join such lawsuits, which could bypass the “sovereign immunity” that shields state agencies and state officials from blame.