FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Independent Review Confirms State Made Decision to
- From
- Angela Wittrock
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Angela Wittrock
December 28, 2015 Phone: (317) 77
Independent Review Confirms State Made Decision to Use Flint River, Failed
to Ensure Corrosion Control
Lawmakers Ananich, Neeley call for more answers, resources
LANSING, Mich. — Senate Democratic Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint) and State Representative
Sheldon Neeley (D—Flint) responded today to an independent review that confirmed that
Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality failed to ensure proper corrosion control was
used to treat Flint River water and that the State was responsible for the decision to use the river
as the City of Flint’s primary drinking water source.
The letter from the State Auditor General was the initial response to questions raised by Sen.
Ananich in October. The Auditor General is working on a more thorough review and expects to
have additional information in the coming months.
“The Auditor General has provided an important piece of this puzzle and I’m sure the extended
report they are working on will reveal additional information,” Sen. Ananich said. “What’s clear
is that corrosion control should have been used and there are serious failings in our system that
must be addressed. Between the FOIA emails released recently and these findings, it’s obvious
that legislative oversight is the best way to see how all of these pieces fit together. I expect
holding hearings to be high on the agenda when the Legislature returns.”
In response to the question about whether corrosion control treatment should have been
maintained when the switch for the water source was made to the Flint River, the Auditor
General letter concludes, “We believe that corrosion control treatment should have been
maintained.”
With regard to how the decision was made about using the Flint River as the primary drinking
water source, the letter states, “Although the Flint City Council voted in March 2013 in support
of moving to the KWA pipeline, the vote was silent on the use of Flint River water as a
temporary drinking water source.”
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This is contrary to recent claims that somehow this local vote was in favor of using the river.
“This is another example of how the state failed initially, and continues to fail by not treating this
situation like the emergency it is,” Rep. Neeley said. “We need answers, we need action, and we
need them sooner rather than later.”
Sen. Ananich and Rep. Neeley have been calling for legislative hearings and a more aggressive
response since the Flint water crisis began. They also have been working with local and federal
officials on securing additional resources to make safe water available to all residents, and to
combat the health impacts of the lead that has been consumed.
[Editor ’s note: A copy of the Auditor General letter is available upon request. |
Hit#
Angela Wittrock
Press Secretary
Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich
Boji Tower, Second Floor | Lansing, Mi 48909-7536
P: 847.273.1338
Please sign up for our e-news at: Sengiedems com/Ananish
Facebook: 2 | Twitter: : arin
Lindsey Smith
West Michigan Reporter
Michigan Radio
Office (616) 851-0717
nichiganradio.org
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Lindsey Smith
West Michigan Reporter
Michigan Radio
Office (616) 551-0717
michigarnradio.org
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