Many cases emphasize the youngest victims – the children whose exposure to lead and toxins could lead to neurological disorders and learning disabilities, among other conditions. But soon after, residents reported changes to the water’s color, smell and taste.įollowing outrage by residents and reports of children suffering from mysterious illnesses, tests by the EPA and the Virginia Tech detected dangerous levels of lead in the water.ĭozens of lawsuits, including class-action cases, filed against Michigan and the city of Flint followed. In the meantime, the city turned to the Flint River as a water source beginning in April 2014. In March 2012, Genesee County announced that a new pipeline would be built to deliver water from Lake Huron to Flint to reduce costs. The state of Michigan ultimately took over the city’s finances in 2011 after an audit projected a $25 million deficit. ![]() “It is time for the State to do what it can and take this critical step forward so that we can keep working towards the brighter future that the people of Flint and our entire state deserve.”įlint, once home to one of the nation’s largest General Motors plants, fell into an economic decline beginning in the 1980s. “We hear and respect those voices and understand that healing Flint will take a long time … The uncertainty and troubles that the people of Flint have endured is unconscionable,” Whitmer said. Whitmer acknowledged that the settlement “may not completely provide all that Flint needs.” “What happened in Flint should have never happened, and financial compensation with this settlement is just one of the many ways we can continue to show our support for the city of Flint and its families,” Gov. The governor’s office and the state attorney general confirmed the preliminary settlement in their own statements Thursday. Litigation will continue against other defendants, including two private engineering firms charged with professional negligence. ![]() Interim Co-lead Counsel will continue to pursue claims against the remaining defendants on behalf of certain residents and local businesses in the City of Flint harmed by the water crisis,” the release states.īesides the state of Michigan, the settlement includes the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the individual defendants, including former Gov. “This partial settlement is the result of 5 years of litigation and 18 months of court supervised negotiations. In 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency said it had found dangerous levels of lead – which can affect the heart, kidneys and nerves – in the water flowing into residents’ homes. Residents in Flint raised concern about the water more than half a decade ago, often foisting jugs with discolored water at local leaders. Supreme Court won't block lawsuit brought by Flint water crisis victims Placards posted above water fountains warn against drinking the water at Flint Northwestern High School in Flint, Michigan, May 4, 2016.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |