Trump's EPA Gives Flint $100M for Water Crisis Recovery

BleedRocketsRed · Mar 21, 2017

Finally somebody is doing something about it. This is something which has been greatly bothering me for the past two years. The fact that it wasn't being discussed angered me at times. Finally steps are being taken.

http://www.theroot.com/flint-epa-awards-100-000-000-for-water-crisis-recove-1793462728

#Flint: EPA Awards $100,000,000 for Water-Crisis Recovery as City to Begin Shutoffs for Nonpayment of Water Bills

Monique Judge
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More than 1,000 days after Flint, Mich.’s water crisis started, relief in the form of a $100 million grant is on the way to help the city fix its water system. That relief comes just as the city announces plans to begin shutting off water service for some who have been unable to pay their bills.

As previously reported on The Root, Congress approved the $100 million in aid for the city of Flint last year, but as Michigan Radio reports, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt did not formally approve the grant until this week.

“The people of Flint and all Americans deserve a more responsive federal government,” Pruitt said in a written statement. “EPA will especially focus on helping Michigan improve Flint’s water infrastructure as part of our larger goal of improving America’s water infrastructure.”

The water troubles in Flint began in 2014 when, as a cost-cutting measure, the city’s water source was switched from Detroit to the Flint River. The highly corrosive water was not properly treated, and it caused lead from the city’s pipes to leach into the water system. Even as officials continue to tout the city’s water system as improved and claim that the lead levels are below the federal threshold, residents of the city are still being told not to use water from the tap without a proper filter.

Michigan Radio reports that Flint Mayor Karen Weaver is happy that the federal aid is on its way.

“We are excited and very grateful to receive these much needed funds,” Weaver said. “As we prepare to start the next phase of the FAST Start pipe replacement program, these funds will give us what we need to reach our goal of replacing 6,000 pipes this year and make other needed infrastructure improvements.”

According to Michigan Radio, Gov. Rick Snyder is also happy that the federal funds have been awarded because, as he notes, the state has spent roughly $250 million responding to the Flint water crisis.

“This will help keep Flint on a solid path forward,” Snyder said. “It’s great to see federal, state and local partners continuing to work together to help with infrastructure upgrades and pipe replacements for the people of Flint.”

The EPA money will not go directly to Flint but will instead pass through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

From Michigan Radio:

About half the money is earmarked for replacing aging lead pipes, improving corrosion controls and other water system improvements.

The money will help pay for upgrading Flint’s water system so that it will be able to switch to the KWA pipeline, but that process is expected to take years. The city’s water plant is not expected to be ready to treat water from Lake Huron until late 2019 or 2020.

Meanwhile, as the federal funding works its way through the bureaucratic red tape to finally provide Flint residents with the help they need to finally have clean water after nearly three years of going without, the city has announced that it will begin shutting off water service to delinquent residential customers who have been unable to pay for the unusable water.

According to Michigan Radio, the city plans to shut off water service next month for two apartment complexes as well as 18 other residential customers who are delinquent on their water and sewer bills.

A city spokeswoman told Michigan Radio that the accounts have not been paid in at least five months, and in some cases the water and sewer bills had not been paid for years. The unpaid bills total $2,500 to $6,000.

This comes on the heels of the state ending a subsidy that gave Flint residents a credit to help pay their water bills during the crisis, but Michigan Radio notes that even with the subsidy, only about half of Flint residential customers are current on their bills.

Many residents cite high lead levels and other problems with the water, saying that they don’t want to pay for tap water they don’t trust is safe to drink. Others say they simply can’t afford to pay the relatively high rates the city charges for water, according to Michigan Radio.

In a written statement, Mayor Weaver said: “We thank the residential and commercial customers who have complied with the program and are making payments. I understand this is a difficult situation for many people, and we as city leaders are facing some hard decisions as well.”

Hmmm. How hard is it to understand that people who have been without clean water for nearly three years may be just a tad bit tired of getting the runaround? Considering that the majority of them live below the national poverty level, maybe pulling back the subsidy was not such a wise idea, especially since they can’t even use the water they’re being asked to pay for.

Read more at Michigan Radio here and here.
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Sweet Lou 4 2 · Mar 21, 2017

Trump? It was Dems who pushed this through congress and the bill passed in DECEMBER of last year. Only a right-wing hack would make it seem that it was a gift from Trump. What a joke.

dmoneybangbang · Mar 21, 2017

From the article the OP didn't bother to read....

Earlier this week, MLive reports, Democrats said that they would not support the spending bill unless Flint got federal funds that were already approved by the U.S. Senate. Democrats were willing to block the spending bill and allow the government to shut down at midnight Friday, Sept. 30.

"The continuing resolution that has been put forward by Sen. Mitch McConnell [R-Ky.] fails the people of Flint, Michigan," said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). "Republicans put funds in the [continuing resolution] for people in some states hit by natural disaster, but they did nothing for the families of Flint who have been suffering for over two years from a man-made disaster. That is unacceptable."

Late Tuesday, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) struck a deal to add $170 million in aid for Flint in a separate water-projects bill. That amendment passed the House Wednesday evening. The differences between the House and Senate bills will now be addressed in a conference committee.
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FranchiseBlade · Mar 21, 2017

Thank you to dmoneybangbang and Sweet Lou for helping to clarify this story.

Deckard · Mar 22, 2017

Maybe the Op just doesn't follow the news (actual news, of course) as much as some of us do, but as has been pointed out, this has nothing to do with the new administration. I'm sure Trump's people will crow about it, try to take credit, and the incurious will believe them.

BleedRocketsRed · Mar 22, 2017

Deckard said: ↑

Maybe the Op just doesn't follow the news (actual news, of course) as much as some of us do, but as has been pointed out, this has nothing to do with the new administration. I'm sure Trump's people will crow about it, try to take credit, and the incurious will believe them.
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I'll be honest, I just added "Trump's EPA" to the title to troll.

Either way, I've been really angry over this issue for a while and very happy to see steps being taken.

Bit disappointing that it took this long though.

TO BE FAIR CONCERNING THE TITLE, democrats did create this problem in the first place though, the Obama administration literally did nothing but attempt to sweep it under the rug for years. And it was under Trump's EPA that aid has been delivered.

Either way, the fact that this has been happening in this country is a travesty. Third world ****.

Like finally something is being done.

fchowd0311 · Mar 22, 2017

BleedRocketsRed said: ↑

I'll be honest, I just added "Trump's EPA" to the title to troll.

Either way, I've been really angry over this issue for a while and very happy to see steps being taken.

Bit disappointing that it took this long though.

TO BE FAIR CONCERNING THE TITLE, democrats did create this problem in the first place though, the Obama administration literally did nothing but attempt to sweep it under the rug for years. And it was under Trump's EPA that aid has been delivered.

Either way, the fact that this has been happening in this country is a travesty. Third world ****.

Like finally something is being done.
Click to expand...

If you think this has anything to do with the Obama administration.... Just shame on you.

Look up the GOP governship and what they explcitly did. Snyder's tunnel vision to 'balance the budget' caused this mess.

Do you have any nuanced knowledge of the issue or do you base your posts on headlines or something?

SamFisher · Mar 22, 2017

BleedRocketsRed said: ↑

I'll be honest, I just added "Trump's EPA" to the title to troll.

Either way, I've been really angry over this issue for a while and very happy to see steps being taken.

Bit disappointing that it took this long though.

TO BE FAIR CONCERNING THE TITLE, democrats did create this problem in the first place though, the Obama administration literally did nothing but attempt to sweep it under the rug for years. And it was under Trump's EPA that aid has been delivered.

Either way, the fact that this has been happening in this country is a travesty. Third world ****.

Like finally something is being done.
Click to expand...

Good god, snotbird, where did this act come from?

It's about as original as the dancing baby from Ally McBeal.

Lame, bye.

BleedRocketsRed · Mar 22, 2017

fchowd0311 said: ↑

If you think this has anything to do with the Obama administration.... Just shame on you.

Look up the GOP governship and what they explcitly did. Snyder's tunnel vision to 'balance the budget' caused this mess.

Do you have any nuanced knowledge of the issue or do you base your posts on headlines or something?
Click to expand...

Never blamed the Obama administration for the situation.

Just saying they did not take action following the situation.

NewRoxFan · Mar 22, 2017

BleedRocketsRed said: ↑

Never blamed the Obama administration for the situation.

Just saying they did not take action following the situation.
Click to expand...

What?

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne.../stabenow-obama-gives-million-flint/79134306/
http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/04/politics/obama-flint-michigan-visit/
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.go...port-flint-water-crisis-response-and-recovery

Amiga · Apr 23, 2017

Well, so what does Trump admin do going forward?

Hundreds more lead hotspots are identified as Trump prepares to gut programs

Invisible Fan · Apr 23, 2017

4.5 billion in cuts to the EPA.

I think it's fair to say we deserve whatever happens from now to whenever the gilded one leaves office.

Sweet Lou 4 2 · Apr 24, 2017

BleedRocketsRed said: ↑

I'll be honest, I just added "Trump's EPA" to the title to troll.

Either way, I've been really angry over this issue for a while and very happy to see steps being taken.

Bit disappointing that it took this long though.

TO BE FAIR CONCERNING THE TITLE, democrats did create this problem in the first place though, the Obama administration literally did nothing but attempt to sweep it under the rug for years. And it was under Trump's EPA that aid has been delivered.

Either way, the fact that this has been happening in this country is a travesty. Third world ****.

Like finally something is being done.
Click to expand...

You realize this is Trump taking credit for work done before he was president? Stop being such a stupid partisan.

pirc1 · Apr 24, 2017

Invisible Fan said: ↑

4.5 billion in cuts to the EPA.

I think it's fair to say we deserve whatever happens from now to whenever the gilded one leaves office.
Click to expand...

Yup, we deserve whatever is coming in the next four years because we as a nation elected Trump.

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