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City of Flint, McLaren join water crisis settlement, bringing pot to $641M
Three new defendants have signed onto a preliminary settlement tied to the Flint water crisis and a judge is reviewing the agreement, bringing residents one step closer to financial compensation for the manmade catastrophe.
Michigan politicians ran on water problems. Activists want money for fixes.
Water advocates say they plan to push state and federal lawmakers for more funding to address PFAS, lead line replacement, and other water issues. But the COVID-19 crisis could make budget dollars scarce.
Opinion | New partnerships are needed to solve Michigan’s water-related issues
Gov. Whitmer has proposed a $500 million fund to modernize Michigan’s drinking water infrastructure and sewer systems, but that won’t cover all the necessary work. We need to restore the partnership among local, state and federal agencies that work on water infrastructure issues.
Gov. Whitmer unveils $500M spending strategy for Michigan water
Experts said the strategy, which largely draws upon existing funding sources to tackle PFAS contamination, lead pipe replacement, sewer overflows and other water challenges, is a good step but fixing Michigan’s water infrastructure will require more investment.
Relief, optimism and mistrust greet $600M Flint water lawsuit settlement
Half a decade after LeAnne Walters helped expose the Flint water crisis, the mother of four says she and her children still suffer from rashes because of the stew of toxins they ingested through their tap. A $600 million settlement with the state “is a form of justice, but by no means does this fix what has happened,” she told Bridge.
Supreme Court: Flint residents can seek damages from state in lead crisis
Michigan’s highest court ruled that residents can proceed with a case seeking financial damages from the state and emergency managers for their role in the Flint water crisis.
Six years after Flint water switch, residents fear justice may never come
Six years is the statute of limitations for most felonies in Michigan. That has many residents worried the stalled criminal case related to the water contamination is going nowhere. Michigan officials promise they will bring charges.
Michigan says Flint residents took too long to sue, despite water assurances
Six years after assuring residents Flint’s water was fine, Michigan attorneys asked the state Supreme Court to drop a class-action suit claiming that residents waited too long. The claim drew scoffs from one justice: "At a certain point ..., you kind of have to make sense.”
Michigan environment roundup: State says Flint is violating Safe Drinking Water Act
The latest can’t-miss journalism about natural resources in Michigan and the Great Lakes.
It’s not just Flint: Poverty is bad for your health in Michigan, study finds
As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer focuses on environmental justice, a new study by the University of Michigan maps ‘hot spots’ where low-income people of color are exposed to high levels of pollution.
Opinion | For Flint’s lead-exposed children, a sobering lesson from Toledo
The Flint water crisis impacted thousands of young children. A researcher who has studied the impact of lead exposure says there are interventions that can help.
New Flint water prosecutors face a skeptical hometown crowd
The state's new prosecution team delivered a scathing rebuke of how the investigation was handled by former Attorney General Bill Schuette. But their promises to deliver justice for the people of Flint were greeted by skepticism and even grief.
Dana Nessel's office drops charges in Flint water contamination case
Charges against the state’s former top doctor and former health director have been dropped but could be refiled, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says.
Flint mayor satisfied, but others outraged after water charges dropped
Flint leaders are both hopeful and skeptical that Attorney General Dana Nessel will reboot the criminal cases and prosecute high-ranking officials
Nestlé extends Flint bottled water donations through August
Since Michigan halted its free bottled water program, Nestlé has provided 100,000 bottles water per week to help centers that continue to face high demands from residents who refuse to drink from their taps.
Dana Nessel shakes up Flint prosecutions; civil settlement talks underway
Saying “the people of Flint deserve nothing short of justice,” Michigan’s attorney general is moving quickly to resolve dozens of civil lawsuits filed in the wake of the Flint lead poisoning crisis.
Opinion | It’s not just trust that’s lost in Flint, some water remains unsafe
Michigan shouldn’t turn its attention away from Flint just because the state says drinking water is “restored,” says an environmental activist.
In Flint, trust is lost. And bottled water supplies are running low.
A year after Michigan declared Flint’s drinking water “restored” and began encouraging residents to return to their faucets, the city’s demand for bottled water remains sky-high, leading to hours-long waits for dwindling supplies.
Flint residents welcome Nestlé donations. But its ads? Not so much.
The water conglomerate is donating millions of bottles of water to Flint. But it’s taking millions of gallons of water from central Michigan and touting its efforts on television. That’s led to mixed feelings.
After Flint, Michigan toughened lead rules. Now water utilities are suing.
Detroit-area water providers are challenging Michigan’s rules for lead in drinking water, which are the nation’s toughest. The challenge has high stakes for public health and ratepayers’ wallets.