Gov. Snyder Expected To Devote State Of The State Speech To Flint Water Crisis
LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is likely to devote much of his annual State of the State speech to a drinking water emergency that has put Flint residents at risk and engulfed his administration with criticism.
The Republican is expected to further detail plans to address the contamination of Flint's water with lead during his address to the GOP-led Legislature on Tuesday night.
Michigan is already providing lead testing, filters, bottled water and other essentials in the city of 99,000. Some say customers shouldn't have to pay their water bills because the water is unsafe without filtering, but it's unclear if lawmakers will cover the expense.
Snyder is also expected to again press lawmakers to address mounting financial problems in Detroit's school district.
The Flint water crisis began in 2014 when a state-appointed emergency manager switched Flint from Detroit water to Flint River water to save money. The corrosive water caused lead to leach from old pipes. Flint returned to the Detroit system in October after elevated lead levels were discovered in children.
But officials remain concerned that damaged pipes could continue to leach lead, which can cause behavior problems and learning disabilities in children as well as kidney ailments in adults.
Snyder declared a state of emergency in Flint earlier this month. On Saturday, President Barack Obama signed an emergency declaration but denied Snyder's request for a disaster declaration based on the legal requirement that such relief is intended for natural events, fires, floods or explosions.
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