Flint Lead Poisoning I

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Flint Lead Poisoning Debacle Civil Settlement Creating Huge Budget Holes, As Criminal Charges Now Looming Even Larger for True Justice

Water crisis settlement is a step in the right direction, not the end of the story, says Dr. Mona, August 20, 2020 (html) – mlive.com. FLINT, MI — The massive partial settlement by the state in water crisis lawsuits is a step in the right direction, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the Flint pediatrician whose research helped end the city’s use of corrosive river water in 2015, said in a statement. She said she was grateful to learn that the settlement was driven by community voices and respects the science of child development. Never again should this country have to deal with the generational repercussions of a community “poisoned by policies,” she said.

“As we are all now amidst another preventable public health crisis, with so many parallels to Flint, money and resources only go so far,” she said. “Protecting a community requires leadership and vision, creativity and passion. It demands a respect for science, equity, and the proactive protection of our greatest resource, our children.”

State has to learn lessons from Flint water crisis, August 21, 2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press. $600 milllion later, what has Lansing learned from Flint’s water crisis? Turning point? Or more of the same? Is this justice for Flint? Not by a long shot.  But it is a meaningful sum, addressed to those most vulnerable. Michigan’s economy is still on the ropes. The coronavirus pandemic continues, auguring state budget shortfalls for years to come. Meanwhile, Michiganders are continuing to reap the cost of chronic disinvestment. Our schools, underfunded for decades. Our neglected infrastructure, including our water and sewage systems, our bridges and our roads, continues to crumble. Our cities, whose residents have born the brunt of both the pandemic and its attendant economic damage, face fiscal crises that imperil their ability to sustain basic services. But do the state’s elected officials really understand how we got here? Or will they continue to disinvest in Michigan’s most neglected communities and use this crisis as an excuse to seed the next one?

Consultants say they’re scapegoats, won’t settle cases with Flint residents over water crisis, August 23, 2020 (html)  – mlive.com. The Flint Lead Poisoning debacle that produced high levels of lead and bacteria in city water in 2014 and 2015 is the fault of government agencies, NOT the advice they provided to the city about various water problems. More than 100 lawsuits filed by city residents in state and federal court have accused defendants including the city, state, and federal governments as well as the consultants, of wrongdoing for their roles in the resulting water crisis.

Erin Brockovich Speaks Out After Michigan Agrees to Pay $600M to Flint Water Victims, August 20, 2020 (html) | PEOPLE.com. “The children of Flint will carry the scars of their poisoning for the rest of their lives,” Erin Brockovich says of the water crisis’ impact. “Power to the people,” the environmental and consumer advocate, 60, tells PEOPLE ahead of the state officially announcing their multi-million dollar settlement on Friday.

Getting cash from $600M Flint deal to take months; claims await OK, August 20, 2020 (html) | Detroit News.

Google News “600 million Flint Michigan settlement” (html) – Overview

Whitmer says Flint water crisis ‘Never should have happened,’ pledges continued support for city, August 20, 2020 (html) – mlive.com.

As Flint was slowly poisoned, Snyder’s inner circle failed to act, May 3, 2016 (html) | mLive.com. It still has never been fully explained how crucial information didn’t reach the governor, or why the Snyder administration allowed the people of Flint to use undrinkable water for so long.It’s all about the money and corporate cost saving ‘culture’ of an ex-accountant.

Michigan elected officials welcome Flint water crisis settlement, say there’s more work to do, August 20, 2020 (html) – mlive.com

‘The money is not justice’: Flint mothers express relief, skepticism about water crisis settlement, August 20, 2020 (html) – mlive.com

Flint settlement includes $9 million for special education students, August 20, 2020 (html) | Detroit News. Lead-poisoned children in Flint must be provided with all of the supports they need to learn and flourish, about 18,000 school-age children were exposed to lead during Flint’s water crisis.

$600M Flint water crisis settlement is more than the state has paid out for the last decades’ worth of lawsuits combined, August 19, 2020 (html) – mlive.com. A $600 million settlement would be a historically large one for the state. According to data from the Senate Fiscal Agency, it’s more than the $546 million the state has paid out in court judgements and settlements for every lawsuit against it, combined, in the last 10 fiscal years for which data is available. It’s not clear, yet, where the $600 million would come from as Michigan has some serious budget challenges ahead.

Michigan settles with Flint water crisis victims for more than $500 million: report August 20, 2020 (html) | Fox News. The state of Michigan has settled with victims of the Flint water crisis for more than $500 million, and details of the settlement are expected Friday. Dozens of lawsuits related to the Flint water crisis have been filed against the state of Michigan in recent years, so a settlement of this magnitude would be a huge development in the legal battle. NOTE: This settlement could mark the end of the civil side, but there still may be new criminal charges. In June 2019, Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud dropped criminal charges against eight people tied to the Flint water crisis, and said her office was starting from scratch.

Michigan reaches over $500M settlement in Flint water crisis suits, August 20, 2020 (html) | Detroit News. The deal comes after several years of litigation in which Flint residents pursued damages from the state for the lead-contaminated water piped into many households. The settlement would be one of the largest in the state’s history. “If money is how government expresses sorrow for its crimes — this is a big apology,” Edwards said. The settlement comes as the state faces what experts say could be up to a $3 billion hole in next year’s budget because of decreased tax revenue during the coronavirus pandemic. The state has a fund that it draws settlement money from, but never one of this proportion. The settlement amount calls for the involvement of the Legislature to appropriate more money toward the agreement. The state needs to shift its focus to criminal prosecutions next and revive charges. “The second step (of justice) will be coming, I’m sure,” former special prosecutor Flood said, “with the criminal side of the case. I’m prayerful that that will come.”

Sources: Settlement imminent in Flint water lawsuits, August 19, 2020 (html) | Detroit Free Press. LANSING — The state of Michigan is close to a settlement totaling hundreds of millions of dollars for civil lawsuits arising from the lead contamination of Flint’s drinking water. Many details to be worked out, because of the complexity of the litigation and the large number of cases and defendants.

Michigan to Pay $600 Million to Victims of Flint Water Crisis, August 19, 2020 (html) – The New York Times. The state of Michigan is expected to pay about $600 million to victims of the Flint water crisis after thousands of Flint residents filed lawsuits against the state. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a local pediatrician, and other scientists and researchers raised warnings that were initially disregarded by state and local officials. In fall 2015, in the face of overwhelming evidence, Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan acknowledged that the water was not fine (html).

Google News – Report: Michigan reaches $600M deal in Flint water crisis (html) – Overview.

Getting cash from $600M Flint deal to take months; claims await OK, 08-20-2020 (html) | Detroit New. The process of distributing $600 million to more than 33,000 Flint water victims will likely take months to complete, and it’s unlikely the money for the settlement will be available until the beginning of 2021.

Flint activists and leaders demand Flint to be ‘made whole’ following $600M water settlement, 08-20-2020 (html) – mlive.com. FLINT, MI — A day after the announcement of the $600 million water crisis settlement, activists, church leaders and members of the city’s former governmental administration held a press conference to demand more for the citizens of Flint.

Neeley warns Flint residents not to be exploited after $600M water crisis settlement, 08-20-2020 (html) – mlive.com.

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