THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS / SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016 / D5
The mistakes made
From left, Flint city councilman Wantwaz Davis, Abel Delgado and Arthur Woodson shout with protestors Jan. 19, 2016, outside of the Michigan State Capitol Building in Lansing during Gov. Rick Snyder’s State of the State address. (Sean Proctor | MLive.com)
“The notion that I would be getting my drinking water from the Flint River is downright scary.” Dan Reyes, president of the UAW Local 599 in Flint, hands out bottles of Flint water to protestors outside of the Michigan State Capitol Building on Jan. 19, 2016, during Gov. Rick Snyder’s State of the State address. (Sean Proctor | MLive.com)
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In the brief April 28 interview with MLive, he said: “I wish people would have informed me, and I’ve said in my current State of the State that issues like that should rise to my level.” LEAD IN THE WATER
The lead issue surfaced in February 2015 when the DEQ and federal Environmental Protection Agency became aware of a Flint resident whose water tested extremely high for lead. State DEQ officials saw it as an anomaly, while EPA official Miguel Del Toral repeatedly warned that Flint might have systemic lead contamination. But these conversations were happening in the bowels of the EPA and DEQ. In the thousands of emails released by the governor and other documents released under the Freedom of Information Act, there is no evidence Snyder or anyone in the governor’s office was aware of lead issues before summer. However, Hollins, in his email response to MLive, said he first became aware of “lead concerns by a few residents in Flint sometime in late May 2015 and I
MICHAEL GADOLA, SNYDER’S LEGAL COUNSEL IN AN EMAIL TO VALERIE BRADER AND DENNIS MUCHMORE
On Sept. 28, four days after Hanna-Attisha’s presentation, Snyder was told by his administrators that outsiders might be right about lead contamination. “Gov. Snyder on the moment when the DEQ told him the outside experts were probably right: ‘That’s the kind of thing you never want to hear. And talk about being upset, I was upset,’ “Adler, the governor’s spokesman, wrote in response to MLive questions. Why did it take Snyder so long to acknowledge the growing chorus of people worried about lead contamination? “The governor was relying on only one expert — the DEQ,” Sikkema said. “He wasn’t relying on Marc Edwards or Miguel Del Toral or Dr. Mona or the people of Flint coming to his office or the Genesee County Health Department. His information was limited to one entity — and that entity happened to be wrong.” It remains baffling that no full review of the situation was ever ordered, one that sought input beyond DEQ, the state health department and Treasury, Sikkema said. It’s especially perplexing, since the governor’s chief of staff repeatedly raised concerns — a man with the ear of the governor and, one would assume, in a position of considerable authority. “What was the decisionmaking milieu?” Sikkema said. “It’s a good question. It’s a fair question.” Lt. Gov. Brian Calley said the “normal interaction” is for the chief of staff to ask questions and gather information before taking it to the governor. “The fact that he didn’t turn around and go the other direction tells me that he did go to that department, he did get answers that, at least at that point, seemed credible,” Calley said. He said that, even in late September, the DEQ was providing “very direct and absolutesounding answers” on why outsiders were wrong about systemic lead poisoning. “Because their answer was so absolute that there is no problem, I believe the chief of staff simply believed his department,” Calley said. PARCELING OUT BLAME
Since October, one of Snyder’s stock lines about the Flint water referred them to the DEQ.” are concerned and rightfully so cian, held a news conference crisis has been that it was a failIn early July, the news media about the lead level studies they saying she found increased lead ure at the local, state and federal began reporting on an internal are receiving from the DEQ sam- levels in Flint children since the level. EPA memo written by Del Toral, ples. … These folks are scared water switch. The report by the Flint Water detailing concerns about potenand worried about the health Over the next few days, the city Advisory Task Force lays waste tial lead contamination in Flint. impacts and they are basically of Flint and the Genesee County to that contention. But, instead of considering getting blown off by us.” Health Department issued pubThe state is “fundamentally why an EPA lead expert thought The DEQ reiterated assurlic-health advisories about lead accountable for what happened Flint’s water was unsafe, the ances that Flint water met contamination in the water. in Flint,” the report says. Snyder administration focused federal and state standards. The response from the public “Primary responsibility for the on the messenger — the initial Health department officials told relations arm of Snyder’s admin- water contamination in Flint lies report on the memo came from Muchmore they looked at lead istration was to discredit those with MDEQ,” the report says. the American Civil Liberties levels in Flint children and didn’t who questioned whether Flint “In addition, at the time of the Union, and it was written off as a see a spike they connected to a water was safe. water crisis, Flint was under the partisan attack. change in Flint water. The DEQ’s Wurfel referred to control of state-appointed emer“Anyone who is concerned Muchmore backed off, and Del Toral as a “rogue employee” gency managers, who made key about lead in the drinking water the city of Flint would continue and said Edwards was “fanning decisions that contributed to the in Flint can relax,” DEQ spokesto use river water until October, political flames irresponsibly.” crisis.” man Wurfel told Michigan Radio when Snyder first acknowledged Snyder spokesman Dave In fact, local government was on July 13. the problem. Murray called into question a non-factor in the Flint water Privately, Wurfel told colMuchmore declined to be Hanna-Attisha’s analysis, saying crisis, according to Sikkema. leagues in an email, “The interviewed for this story. state health officials failed to find “Who was running the city?” ACLU’s fear campaign on this a similar trend with more comhe asked “An emergency manTO THE RESCUE issue is an embarrassment.” prehensive data. ager appointed by the state. … Then, in late July, a delegaFlint’s saviors didn’t come in But Hanna-Attisha’s presenta- There really wasn’t a local govtion of Flint residents met with the form of government officials tion gave state officials serious ernment.” Muchmore and Hollins, and said paid to serve the public, but in pause and finally caused them Likewise, the blaming of people who were getting their two individuals outside of govto rethink their position that the Flint’s failure to maintain its water tested were finding lead. ernment. water was safe, Sikkema and aging infrastructure is a red That prompted Muchmore to In August, Marc Edwards, a Rothstein said. herring: While the aging infraemail the DEQ, Treasury and the Virginia Tech scientist, started “They were still in denial for structure is certainly a concern, health department. testing Flint water and was vocal about a week, but more and lead contamination in the water “I’m frustrated by the water in his contention that the city more people were accepting was not an issue for Flint until issue in Flint. I really don’t think had a very serious lead contami- what Dr. Mona was saying,” it switched to using river water people are getting the benefit nation problem. Sikkema said. “It got to the point without corrosion control. of the doubt,” Muchmore wrote In September, Dr. Mona where (state officials) couldn’t CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 in a July 22 email. “Now they Hanna-Attisha, a Flint pediatriobjectively deny it anymore.”
about what to do about lead concerns, but neither agency takes action or tells the public. July 9: The American Civil Liberties Union publishes a report about the possibility of lead in Flint’s water, using Walters’ child and Del Toral’s leaked memo as evidence. July-August: The DEQ works to discredit Del Toral and publicly states there is no lead problem. Flint water continues to undergo testing. The EPA starts pushing the DEQ to start corrosion control. Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards
Sept. 24: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha begins testing water. holds a press conference at Sept. 2-8: Edwards’ water testing Hurley Medical Center, saying she reveals high lead levels in Flint’s has found elevated blood lead levwater, beyond the federal threshold els in Flint children. that requires action. However, the Sept. 25: The City of Flint issues a DEQ stands by Flint tests that show health advisory about potential of rising, but allowable levels of lead lead-contaminated water. in city water. Sept. 9: U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, state Hanna-Attisha Sept. 26: EPA Director Gina McCarthy confers with her staff Sen. Jim Ananich and state Reps. about reports of lead contamination in Sheldon Neeley and Phil Phelps — all Flint. “Would seem the state needs to step Democrats who represent Flint — write letup here,” she writes. ters to Wyant seeking more details on Region 5 Director Susan Hedman is potential of lead contamination in Flint.
instructed to call Wyant. Sept. 27: Hedman tells her colleagues that Wyant agrees the state needs to respond to situation. Sept. 28: Snyder has a conference call with Wyant and Nick Lyon, head of the Department of Health and Human Services. Snyder later says this is the first time he is told state officials might be wrong with their assertions that Flint water is safe. Sept. 29: Genesee County issues health advisory about Flint’s drinking water. Oct. 1: Snyder later says in a news conference this is the date he first received