MI governor asks feds for aid in Flint water crisis

For more discussion on the Flint water crisis, check out the original Reddit thread.

(Dale G. Young/Detroit News via AP). Since Wednesday, National Guard members and FEMA have been in the city, dispersing supplies of bottled water and lead filters to citizens.

“Mistrust in government is at a heightened level”, Snyder, a Republican, said in a request dated Thursday and released to The Associated Press.

One of the highest levels of lead in Flint registered at over 30 times above the safe amount of lead in water by EPA standards and was found at the home of LeeAnne Walters, a stay-at-home mother of four in the spring of 2015. Less than a month ago, an aide said the state’s top law enforcer would stay on the sideline.

Neither those agencies nor the office of Schuette (pronounced SHOO-tee) would say what people or agencies might be the subjects of the investigation. Jim Ananich and state Representatives Sheldon Neeley and Phil Phelps over what can be done to remedy the lead discovered in the city’s drinking water.

In addition, according to the lawsuit, the corrosive water also sent lead into the water supply, because about half of the service lines to homes in Flint are made of lead. Residents and a growing number of local and national officials have accused Snyder of ignoring a public health emergency, with some calling for him to step down as a result.

The Daily Caller News Foundation has confirmed that Flint is still billing people for tap water, but its unclear if they’re sending past due notices.

If the request is granted, it could provide millions of dollars to pay for clean water, filters and other essentials. More damningly, in September a report found that the levels of lead in young children’s blood had more than doubled since the switch. Nine days later, the governor announced that he had asked the Obama administration to designate the county surrounding Flint as a federal emergency area.

While nothing has been promised yet, White House spokesman Josh Earnest says Snyder’s requests will be considered “expeditiously”.

This version of the story corrects the cost of the emergency measures to $41 million.

“It’s hard when people are paying for water they can’t use”, she said. Despite residents complaining of foul smelling water, officials waved them off, encouraging them that the supply was just fine.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says he’s in favor of restoring the full powers of Flint’s mayor. The city now is in receivership, and the city administrator is responsible and accountable for the day-to-day city operations.

November 3: Voters elect newcomer Karen Weaver over incumbent Mayor Dayne Walling amid fallout over the drinking water. Flint, which has chronically poor finances, is being run day to day by a city administrator with oversight from a state advisory board.

LaFonzo Williams, 19, prays amidst more than 150 Flint and Detroit residents before a protest Gov. Rick Snyder’s handling of the water crisis.

“The residents and thousands of children of Flint who have been poisoned are the victims in this situation”. Given his indifference until forced to act, outsiders will need to monitor the state’s response to make sure it protects the health of the residents of Flint now and in future years.

Michigan’s attorney general says he plans to investigate Flint’s water crisis.

“We had never seen such sustained high levels of lead in 25 years of work”, he said.