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Flint water crisis prompts call for more federal oversight

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and Flint’s tap water became
JOHN FLESHER contaminated in 2014 af-
Associated Press ter officials switched from
WASHINGTON (AP) — A the Detroit system to the
federal watchdog is calling Flint River to save money,
on the Environmental Pro- exposing many residents to
tection Agency to strength- lead, a potent neurotoxin.
en its oversight of state Children are particularly
drinking water systems na- vulnerable, and the EPA
tionally and respond more says there is no safe level of
quickly to public health lead.
emergencies such as the EPA officials had stressed
lead-in-the water crisis in they had wanted to foster
Flint, Michigan. a collaborative partnership
In a 74-page report re- with Michigan, the report
leased Thursday, the EPA’s said. In Flint, the quest for
inspector general report “partnership limited effec-
pointed to “oversight laps- tive EPA oversight.”
es” at the federal, state Rep. Dan Kildee, who was
and local levels in the re- traveling to Flint on Thurs-
sponse to Flint’s contami- day to inspect work done
nated drinking water. on the city’s water system,
“While oversight authority is said the state bore most
vital, its absence can con- of the blame for the slow In this Tuesday, July 10, 2018, photo, flames fly from the lit torch, signifying the start of the 62nd
tribute to a catastrophic response to the health cri- annual Flint Olympian Games opening ceremonies at Southwestern Classical Academy in Flint,
situation,” the inspector sis, but also said “the EPA Mich.
general, Arthur A. Elkins, should have been more Associated Press
said in a statement. His of- aggressive.” a water regulations official EPA’s definition of “toxic more aggressive in test-
fice has concluded the EPA “EPA should not have tak- in EPA’s Chicago office, waste.” ing the water and requir-
was too slow and passive in en the state of Michigan contacted officials with Snyder ordered the Na- ing changes but said the
responding to the Flint crisis. at its word” that everything Michigan’s Department of tional Guard to distribute federal agency “couldn’t
The finding comes as the was fine with Flint’s water, Environmental Quality. Del bottled water and filters, get a straight answer” from
Trump administration seeks said Kildee, D-Mich. “Water Toral also alerted superiors requested federal aid and Michigan officials about
to cut the EPA’s budget, in- quality is too serious a ques- at EPA who decided not eventually accepted the what was being done in
cluding some drinking-wa- tion ... without doing more to make the information resignation of his top envi- Flint.
ter programs. The admin- to assure the rule is being public, instead prodding ronmental official. Flint re- Republican lawmakers ac-
istration also has called for properly enforced.” the state agency to act turned to the Detroit water cused McCarthy and the
reining back federal envi- The switch to the Flint River behind the scenes. After a system. Obama EPA of incompe-
ronmental regulation over- was to be temporary, until draft of Del Toral’s report In January 2016, the EPA tence and neglect.
all and transferring more the city could connect to was leaked, EPA’s regional notified Michigan that its Snyder ended water dis-
oversight authority of some a planned regional pipe- administrator apologized actions were inadequate tribution in Flint last April,
programs to the states. line from Lake Huron. At to the city. and ordered stronger inter- saying water quality had
The EPA said in a statement that time, the impoverished In emails later released vention. The agency’s re- improved significantly.
it agrees with the inspector majority-black city of near- through public-records re- gional administrator in Chi- The state environmental
general’s recommenda- ly 100,000 residents was quests, Del Toral voiced cago, Susan Hedman, re- agency this week said tests
tions and is adopting them under control of an emer- frustration over EPA’s slow signed the next month. The during the latest six-month
“expeditiously.” gency financial manager pace and described the preliminary inspector gen- monitoring showed lead
“The agency is actively appointed by Republican agency as a “cesspool.” eral’s review later that year levels were beneath the
engaging with states to Gov. Rick Snyder. State officials finally ac- found that the regional EPA action threshold and better
improve communications Residents complained the knowledged the lead con- office should have had “a than those of some other
and compliance with the river water smelled and tamination in September greater sense of urgency” Michigan cities.
federal Safe Drinking Water tasted bad and was caus- 2015 after doctors reported and was too deferential to The Michigan attorney
Act to safeguard human ing skin rashes and other high levels of lead in Flint the state. general’s office has filed
health,” the statement said. health problems. Local of- children’s blood and Virgin- Former EPA Administrator criminal charges against 15
But the internal watchdog ficials insisted it was safe. ia Tech University research- Gina McCarthy acknowl- state and local officials in
said the agency’s proposal After tests showed high ers said their testing of Flint edged during congres- the Flint matter, which also
for stepping up oversight levels of lead in a home in water samples found some sional hearings that her has spawned numerous
falls short. April 2015, Miguel Del Toral, with lead levels meeting agency should have been lawsuits.q