Regulator: Michigan should have forced Flint to treat water

The Alaska Republican’s proposal included giving $50 million directly to Flint and another $500 million to make additional loans available to the city and others with similar drinking water emergencies. Upton chairs the energy panel while Pallone is the senior Democrat.

The group of 200 professors and advocates, which calls itself the Experts of Color Network, said in a letter to Snyder the fund would pay for claims, health screenings and treatment for those in Flint affected by the crisis.

The letters seek answers by February 17.

Earlier Tuesday, Ananich criticized Snyder for an inadequate, slow response to the crisis, raising concerns about lead testing, water bills and a delay in helping children absorb less lead with nutritional programs. Weaver campaigned on a platform of vowing to address the city’s water crisis. Former Flint emergency manager Darnell Earley was not present either, after he refused a subpoena to testify. That’s exactly what happened in Flint after a corrosion control – that would have cost $100 per day – wasn’t added to the water supply to counteract the corrosive water that was leaching lead from the city’s ageing pipe system.

A subpoena was served to Earley on Thursday, according to M.J. Henshaw, press secretary for the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

“Participation before this committee is not optional“, Chaffetz said. Earley’s attorney had said he was trying to arrange a ossible later appearance.

Cornyn says it’s premature to write a “blank check” for Flint when state officials have not fully assessed their needs.

Snyder and legislators last week enacted $28 million in emergency Flint funding for the current fiscal year, including $3 million to help the Flint Utilities Department with unpaid bills.

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Director Keith Creagh argued the EPA didn’t act with enough urgency.

Walters said that the focus of some lawmakers on state officials and others on the federal government “works for the people because they are both accountable”.

Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof said Wednesday that “there’s a good argument to be made” for the money because government failed residents.

Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat and ranking member of the committee, took issue with the fact that Flint residents were still getting billed for the toxic water. He says it’s another example of the Snyder “looking at this from an overly technical view as opposed to a human view”. Corrosion in the water caused lead to leach from pipes.

Chaffetz promised another Flint hearing in the coming weeks, and he insisted Earley will be there.

High-ranking officials in Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration were aware of a surge in Legionnaires’ disease potentially linked to Flint’s water long before the governor reported the increase to the public last month, internal emails show. Customers would still be responsible for paying for water used for other purposes, such as to flush toilets or wash clothes.

The FBI is working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General, the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, and federal prosecutors.