Snyder Releases 100k More Flint-Related Emails
LANSING (WWJ/AP) -- Governor Rick Snyder's office released more than 100,000 new emails related to the Flint water crisis on Friday afternoon.
The latest documents include memos from the Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Health and Department of Treasury.
In earlier emails, the Department of Environmental Quality acknowledged it failed to require that certain chemicals be used in the Flint River water. Other emails made reference to the anxiety building in Flint, adding that Flint residents were "looking for someone to blame."
Snyder said by making this information easily accessible, everyone can review it and take what they need.
The files can be viewed HERE.
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 2015 after elevated lead levels were discovered in several children's blood tests.
Snyder said as soon as the problem was brought to his attention, he took dramatic action.
"The issue now is, in my perspective, let's really work on a solution. People will spend time going back through it, there are a number of investigations and I appreciate them investigating. These are all things that we'll learn from, in terms of what happened and when in terms of even more detail, but let's make sure we're taking care of the people of Flint as best we can — and that's where I'm putting my focus," he said. "Let's go deal with the damage, let's take care of the people of Flint, let's take care of the children of Flint, let's get them safe drinking water and move forward."
The lead contamination — which can lead to behavior problems and learning disabilities in children and kidney ailments in adults — has left Flint residents unable to drink unfiltered tap water.
People and organizations from around the country have reached out to help Flint by donating bottled water and water filters, something that Flint mayor Karen Weaver has said is the most important resource the city can receive.
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