By Nick Smith
Gongwer News Service
U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin on Thursday urged the federal government to either proceed with an ongoing Flint water crisis-related lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or to settle.
During a floor speech on the U.S. Senate floor, Slotkin said that Friday is the 10th anniversary of a federal emergency declaration being issued for Genesee County in the wake of the Flint water crisis.
She pointed to the lawsuits, criminal and civil, filed against the city, county, state and federal government over failures in the crisis. Several people died and many more became sick after Flint changed the source of its drinking water and didn’t treat the water, which ran through old lead water lines.
Most of the cases have either been settled or dismissed, except for the EPA case.
“More than a decade later, the EPA is denying, deflecting and dragging out this cause in court, and in fact, the Trump administration, just like the Biden administration, has the ability to settle this case without Congress or anyone else,” Slotkin said. “They should take their day in court or settle fairly.”
Last September, a U.S. District Court judge rejected an EPA motion to dismiss the case, holding that the agency can be held accountable under tort claims law in this case despite the water crisis not occurring directly within its jurisdiction.
“The crisis in Flint has not ended. Not in Flint, not in Michigan,” Slotkin said. “Flint is a community still in pain, still seeking justice, still seeking accountability.”
She said the water crisis is an example of the government not protecting its citizens.
“Flint is an apocalyptic poisoning of an American city, and it should be a warning to all Americans of what happens when there’s not accountability,” Slotkin said.
She added that for the people of Flint it is not about money but for someone to accept responsibility for what occurred and for the many residents whose health has been permanently damaged.
“Even after all they’ve endured over the past decade, this community is being denied what little they were promised, and that should make every American furious,” Slotkin said.
Gongwer News Service
U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin on Thursday urged the federal government to either proceed with an ongoing Flint water crisis-related lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or to settle.
During a floor speech on the U.S. Senate floor, Slotkin said that Friday is the 10th anniversary of a federal emergency declaration being issued for Genesee County in the wake of the Flint water crisis.
She pointed to the lawsuits, criminal and civil, filed against the city, county, state and federal government over failures in the crisis. Several people died and many more became sick after Flint changed the source of its drinking water and didn’t treat the water, which ran through old lead water lines.
Most of the cases have either been settled or dismissed, except for the EPA case.
“More than a decade later, the EPA is denying, deflecting and dragging out this cause in court, and in fact, the Trump administration, just like the Biden administration, has the ability to settle this case without Congress or anyone else,” Slotkin said. “They should take their day in court or settle fairly.”
Last September, a U.S. District Court judge rejected an EPA motion to dismiss the case, holding that the agency can be held accountable under tort claims law in this case despite the water crisis not occurring directly within its jurisdiction.
“The crisis in Flint has not ended. Not in Flint, not in Michigan,” Slotkin said. “Flint is a community still in pain, still seeking justice, still seeking accountability.”
She said the water crisis is an example of the government not protecting its citizens.
“Flint is an apocalyptic poisoning of an American city, and it should be a warning to all Americans of what happens when there’s not accountability,” Slotkin said.
She added that for the people of Flint it is not about money but for someone to accept responsibility for what occurred and for the many residents whose health has been permanently damaged.
“Even after all they’ve endured over the past decade, this community is being denied what little they were promised, and that should make every American furious,” Slotkin said.
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