Michigan governor to propose $195M more for Flint
DETROIT — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday is expected to request an additional $195 million to bring back safe drinking water to Flint and treat the city’s impacted residents, according to a person familiar with the budget.
The proposed appropriation comes on top of $37 million in emergency funding from supplemental budget actions. The new appropriation for the upcoming budget year would include $30 million earlier outlined by the governor for water bill payment relief. News of the new amount for Flint was first reported by MIRS, a state news service.
The $28 million passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor earlier this year includes the purchase of bottled water, water filters and replacement cartridges for Flint residents and business; water testing; replacement for plumbing fixtures in city schools and day care; deployment of the Michigan National Guard to the city and the hiring of additional school nurses among other measures.
Snyder is expected to unveil his entire budget on Wednesday after meeting Tuesday with fellow Republican members of the state House and Senate appropriations committee.
Flint emails: State, city appear unable to share info
A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof said earlier Tuesday that the GOP leader "is looking at how the Senate can assist Flint to improve damaged infrastructure and put a program in place to assist other communities to upgrade and improve existing infrastructure.
Drinking water in Flint was contaminated with lead starting in April 2014 when the city, while under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager, switched the source of supply from Lake Huron water supplied by the city of Detroit to Flint River water treated at the Flint's city treatment plant. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality officials have acknowledged they made a mistake when they failed to require needed corrosion-control chemicals to be added to the water.
As a result, lead leached from pipes and fixtures into the drinking water. Tests show lead levels spiked in the blood of some Flint children. Although the city switched back to Detroit water in October, officials say the potential for harm continues because of damage done to Flint's water distribution infrastructure.
Earlier today, President Obama’s final budget request to Congress did not set aside money specifically for the ongoing water crisis in Flint, but it does propose increasing funds for loans that could potentially be used to rebuild that city’s infrastructure.
No direct money for Flint in Obama's last budget
While the U.S. Senate is still debating whether and how much to authorize in funding for Flint, where high levels of lead have been found in residents’ tap water, the Obama administration’s proposed fiscal 2017 budget released Tuesday includes $157 million more for low-interest loans that would go to states to help rebuild, repair and replace old water infrastructure.
Last month, the president signed an emergency declaration for Flint, setting in motion a federal response but setting no specific funding commitment for the city.
The White House has said it’s supportive of efforts in Congress to allocate funding for Flint, even though it has rejected requests to declare a major disaster in the city due to statutes that limit those to natural events, fires or explosions. Snyder has said it could cost $700 million or more to replace and repair damaged infrastructure in Flint.
Late last month, Michigan members of Congress said they would seek $600 million in funds to help rebuild Flint's water infrastructure.