Michigan governor to sign $28M bill to address water crisis

The House followed suit, approving the changes made by the Senate by a 106-0 vote. “Sadly, the only response was to protect the Snyder administration from future liability and not to protect the children of Flint from lead poisoning”, said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan, in a statement.

Flint’s unfolding water crisis once again brought to the fore a danger long known to rob children of cognitive and physiological function and impulse control. This is the sort of situation that should have anyone promising to “solve problems” – as Kasich said during his closing debate remarks – transfixed. “To have the governor of a state be so cavalier and risky, and intentionally endanger the people of the city of Flint, is something so incomprehensible”, she said.

Filters, bottled water and home testing kits are being provided free of charge at water resource sites around the city. So funds initially slotted for the purchase of water have been shifted to address other needs.

A Virginia Tech professor who helped expose the lead problem in Flint’s water despite initial skepticism from state regulators says he’s not surprised by some high lead readings officials just announced. “This is the first step in an emergency”.

$500,000 for an infrastructure integrity study using outside experts. The governor also met with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, NAACP President Cornell William Brooks and visited local fire stations to thank members of the National Guard and Red Cross volunteers for their door-to-door efforts.

The House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, on February 3. Another amendment was approved that would require the state’s auditor general to audit how the money is being spent every six months.

“While the City of Flint states that corrective actions are not necessary, [the Department of Technology, Management and Budget] is in the process of providing a water cooler on each occupied floor, positioned near the water fountain, so you can choose which water to drink”, a January 7, 2015 email from state facilities management said.

Millions of bottles have been sent to Flint since early January, precipitated by the discovery of hazardous levels of lead in Flint’s water source. The Flint water crisis came as a result of officials in the Snyder administration telling city officials not to use corrosion treatment after the city began pulling drinking water from the Flint River.

News correspondent Stephanie Gosk repeatedly pressed the embattled governor Wednesday on how he expects to win the trust of Flint’s residents while the pipes that poisoned the water supply are still being used.

“I have no doubt that there will be some people who will try to exploit this for political purposes, but I think the concerns I raised about the proper role of the federal government and whether the taxpayers across the country feel like it’s the federal government’s responsibility to bail out cities and states when it’s really their primary responsibility”, Cornyn said.

That state of emergency lasts for 28 days.

On Friday, Snyder was asked about water being provided to state employees in Flint past year.

The Michigan Legislature on Thursday extended the state emergency declaration in the city of Flint and Genesee County until April 14.