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| Flint water crisis: Rick Snyder's emails leave more questions than answers | Flint water crisis: Rick Snyder's emails leave more questions than answers |
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| Michigan Governor Rick Snyder cited a commitment to transparency and accountability when he announced he would voluntarily release his emails related to the city of Flint, Michigan. | Michigan Governor Rick Snyder cited a commitment to transparency and accountability when he announced he would voluntarily release his emails related to the city of Flint, Michigan. |
| “The Flint water crisis is an extraordinary circumstance and therefore I’m taking this unprecedented step of releasing my emails to ensure that the people of Michigan know the truth,” Snyder wrote. | “The Flint water crisis is an extraordinary circumstance and therefore I’m taking this unprecedented step of releasing my emails to ensure that the people of Michigan know the truth,” Snyder wrote. |
| But that pledge didn’t translate smoothly into the first document of the 274-page tranche released Wednesday: A three-page email that was entirely blacked out. | But that pledge didn’t translate smoothly into the first document of the 274-page tranche released Wednesday: A three-page email that was entirely blacked out. |
| Snyder said the document was redacted because it contained privileged attorney-client communications about a lawsuit unrelated to the Flint water crisis. | Snyder said the document was redacted because it contained privileged attorney-client communications about a lawsuit unrelated to the Flint water crisis. |
| But redactions appear throughout the files, which only cover a two-year period between 2014 and 2015 – not 2013, when the decision to use the highly corrosive Flint river was made. And Snyder declined to release emails of his entire staff, saying they’re protected under state statute. Michigan is only one of two states that exempt the governor from the Freedom of Information Act. | But redactions appear throughout the files, which only cover a two-year period between 2014 and 2015 – not 2013, when the decision to use the highly corrosive Flint river was made. And Snyder declined to release emails of his entire staff, saying they’re protected under state statute. Michigan is only one of two states that exempt the governor from the Freedom of Information Act. |
| The decisions have raised more questions for the embattled governor, whose staff appears throughout the released emails to belittle water quality concerns of Flint residents. During the course of several months, there appears to be no discussion at all of the water problems, despite a growing public conversation and resident complaints. | The decisions have raised more questions for the embattled governor, whose staff appears throughout the released emails to belittle water quality concerns of Flint residents. During the course of several months, there appears to be no discussion at all of the water problems, despite a growing public conversation and resident complaints. |
| Without communications from 2013, the public is also left wondering what role the governor’s office had in deciding to use the Flint river in the first place – a question Snyder’s staff has tap-danced around time and again. | Without communications from 2013, the public is also left wondering what role the governor’s office had in deciding to use the Flint river in the first place – a question Snyder’s staff has tap-danced around time and again. |
| In fact, taking into consideration the number of news releases and unrelated documents to the Flint water crisis in the Snyder emails, only a fraction of the documents released on Wednesday represent communications about the city’s water quality. | In fact, taking into consideration the number of news releases and unrelated documents to the Flint water crisis in the Snyder emails, only a fraction of the documents released on Wednesday represent communications about the city’s water quality. |
| Even when the city’s problem with lead contamination was readily apparent, Snyder’s aides were discounting whether it was a legitimate issue, until Snyder conceded in October the situation was as dire as his critics portrayed: Flint residents were experiencing elevated blood lead levels as a result of the failure to properly treat the water supply. Even low exposure of lead can have permanent health impacts, particularly in young children. | Even when the city’s problem with lead contamination was readily apparent, Snyder’s aides were discounting whether it was a legitimate issue, until Snyder conceded in October the situation was as dire as his critics portrayed: Flint residents were experiencing elevated blood lead levels as a result of the failure to properly treat the water supply. Even low exposure of lead can have permanent health impacts, particularly in young children. |
| Flint, facing financial calamity, was controlled by a succession of Snyder-appointed emergency managers with near-total control of day-to-day operations from 2011 to 2015. During that time, the city’s emergency manager made the decision to switch Flint’s water supply from the city of Detroit’s water system to a local river, a move that was expected to save upwards of $2m annually. | Flint, facing financial calamity, was controlled by a succession of Snyder-appointed emergency managers with near-total control of day-to-day operations from 2011 to 2015. During that time, the city’s emergency manager made the decision to switch Flint’s water supply from the city of Detroit’s water system to a local river, a move that was expected to save upwards of $2m annually. |
| From the outset, the transition was problematic. After Flint began pulling water from the Flint river, residents levied complaints about discolored and smelly water flowing through their taps. The water caused irritating rashes and hair loss and caused disease. So residents started purchasing bottled water, rather than rely on their costly household water supply. | From the outset, the transition was problematic. After Flint began pulling water from the Flint river, residents levied complaints about discolored and smelly water flowing through their taps. The water caused irritating rashes and hair loss and caused disease. So residents started purchasing bottled water, rather than rely on their costly household water supply. |
| And yet the resident complaints of water quality first materialized in the released emails in October 2014. | And yet the resident complaints of water quality first materialized in the released emails in October 2014. |
| In a briefing paper on Flint’s drinking water situation, the state environmental department highlights why the city issued several boil water advisories in previous weeks. | In a briefing paper on Flint’s drinking water situation, the state environmental department highlights why the city issued several boil water advisories in previous weeks. |
| “Most of the city’s over 550 miles of water mains are now over 75 years old and constructed of cast iron piping,” the four-page memo stated. “Cast iron pipe is subject to internal corrosion, called tuberculation, which causes buildup on the pipe interior, leading to water quality issues, reduced flow and pressures, and leakage.” It was later found the state didn’t require Flint to properly treat water to reduce the corrosivity of the Flint river, which allowed lead to leach from pipes in households across the city of 100,000. | “Most of the city’s over 550 miles of water mains are now over 75 years old and constructed of cast iron piping,” the four-page memo stated. “Cast iron pipe is subject to internal corrosion, called tuberculation, which causes buildup on the pipe interior, leading to water quality issues, reduced flow and pressures, and leakage.” It was later found the state didn’t require Flint to properly treat water to reduce the corrosivity of the Flint river, which allowed lead to leach from pipes in households across the city of 100,000. |
| Despite the concerns raised in the document, no further discussion from the governor is found in the released emails. | Despite the concerns raised in the document, no further discussion from the governor is found in the released emails. |
| By February, the state environmental department followed up with a background memo sent to the governor on 1 February. The document said it “was clear that folks in Flint are concerned about other aspects in their water” and again discussed corrosion of cast-iron pipes, cited as the cause of “the brown water that angry residents were holding up in jugs for media cameras last week”. | By February, the state environmental department followed up with a background memo sent to the governor on 1 February. The document said it “was clear that folks in Flint are concerned about other aspects in their water” and again discussed corrosion of cast-iron pipes, cited as the cause of “the brown water that angry residents were holding up in jugs for media cameras last week”. |
| The memo highlighted extensively the water quality problems in Flint, including how the city’s supply had been contaminated by a chemical compound that can cause liver and kidney issues over long-term consumption. | The memo highlighted extensively the water quality problems in Flint, including how the city’s supply had been contaminated by a chemical compound that can cause liver and kidney issues over long-term consumption. |
| Yet again, though, no further discussion of the city’s water quality is documented in the Snyder emails at this time. | Yet again, though, no further discussion of the city’s water quality is documented in the Snyder emails at this time. |
| Water problems in Flint aren’t addressed by Snyder’s emails again until early September. But during that same time period, the brimming lead-contamination crisis in Flint’s water supply was widely known to members of his administration. | Water problems in Flint aren’t addressed by Snyder’s emails again until early September. But during that same time period, the brimming lead-contamination crisis in Flint’s water supply was widely known to members of his administration. |
| The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan published the memo in July that raised concerns about lead in Flint’s water, prompting immediate pushback from the state’s environmental department. “[A]nyone who is concerned about lead in the drinking water in Flint can relax,” spokesman Brad Wurfel said at the time. | The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan published the memo in July that raised concerns about lead in Flint’s water, prompting immediate pushback from the state’s environmental department. “[A]nyone who is concerned about lead in the drinking water in Flint can relax,” spokesman Brad Wurfel said at the time. |
| Two weeks later, Snyder’s then-chief of staff Dennis Muchmore wrote in an email that Flint residents “aren’t getting the benefit of the doubt” over water issues. | Two weeks later, Snyder’s then-chief of staff Dennis Muchmore wrote in an email that Flint residents “aren’t getting the benefit of the doubt” over water issues. |
| “Now they are concerned and rightly so about the lead level studies they are receiving from (MDEQ) samples,” Muchmore said. The governor’s emails don’t include any discussion around this time about Muchmore’s remarks. | “Now they are concerned and rightly so about the lead level studies they are receiving from (MDEQ) samples,” Muchmore said. The governor’s emails don’t include any discussion around this time about Muchmore’s remarks. |
| In August, a group of researchers from Virginia Tech joined the ACLU and Flint residents to independently test homes for lead. The coalition created a web site to document its findings. When results started trickling in, revealing dangerously high levels of lead in Flint, the state environmental department’s spokesperson again pushed back, saying that “offering broad, dire public health advice based on some quick testing could be seen as fanning political flames irresponsibly”. | In August, a group of researchers from Virginia Tech joined the ACLU and Flint residents to independently test homes for lead. The coalition created a web site to document its findings. When results started trickling in, revealing dangerously high levels of lead in Flint, the state environmental department’s spokesperson again pushed back, saying that “offering broad, dire public health advice based on some quick testing could be seen as fanning political flames irresponsibly”. |
| But there’s no mention of this in Snyder’s emails. | But there’s no mention of this in Snyder’s emails. |
| Snyder has since publicly expressed gratitude for the study by Virginia Tech.. | Snyder has since publicly expressed gratitude for the study by Virginia Tech.. |
| On 24 September, a local pediatrician, Dr Mona Hanna-Attisha, released findings that showed the percentage of Flint children with elevated blood lead levels had spiked after the city began using the Flint river. | |
| Still, the governor’s aides sought to pin blame elsewhere, and appeared to discount the studies. | Still, the governor’s aides sought to pin blame elsewhere, and appeared to discount the studies. |
| In an email written two days later, Muchmore emailed the governor to say that Flint’s water “certainly has occasional less than savory aspects like color” but said that the “anti everything group” had turned to the lead content, and that “of course, some of the Flint people respond by looking for someone to blame.” | In an email written two days later, Muchmore emailed the governor to say that Flint’s water “certainly has occasional less than savory aspects like color” but said that the “anti everything group” had turned to the lead content, and that “of course, some of the Flint people respond by looking for someone to blame.” |
| A spokesperson for the governor at the time also publicly attempted to discredit Hanna-Attisha’s work, saying her data was “spliced and diced”. | A spokesperson for the governor at the time also publicly attempted to discredit Hanna-Attisha’s work, saying her data was “spliced and diced”. |
| The following week, however, the governor admitted the situation had devolved into a “public safety issue.” In an email dated 18 October, the MDEQ director, Dan Wyant, wrote in an email to Snyder that, in fact, additional corrosion controls were needed to treat the Flint river. | The following week, however, the governor admitted the situation had devolved into a “public safety issue.” In an email dated 18 October, the MDEQ director, Dan Wyant, wrote in an email to Snyder that, in fact, additional corrosion controls were needed to treat the Flint river. |
| “I believe now we made a mistake,” Wyant wrote. | “I believe now we made a mistake,” Wyant wrote. |
| The governor’s spokesperson told the Guardian on Wednesday that Snyder became aware of the severity of the lead problem on 1 October and responded “aggressively the next day”. | The governor’s spokesperson told the Guardian on Wednesday that Snyder became aware of the severity of the lead problem on 1 October and responded “aggressively the next day”. |
| But the governor didn’t accelerate his response in Flint until late December, when a scathing reporting was issued by a Snyder-appointed taskforce investigating what happened in Flint. The delayed response was even more puzzling to observers, as the report virtually mirrored several months of reporting of the crisis by researchers and journalists. | But the governor didn’t accelerate his response in Flint until late December, when a scathing reporting was issued by a Snyder-appointed taskforce investigating what happened in Flint. The delayed response was even more puzzling to observers, as the report virtually mirrored several months of reporting of the crisis by researchers and journalists. |
| Since then, the governor apologized for the crisis, accepted full responsibility, activated the National Guard and requested assistance from Barack Obama. | Since then, the governor apologized for the crisis, accepted full responsibility, activated the National Guard and requested assistance from Barack Obama. |
| He is likely to face more aggressive scrutiny of his role in the crisis: the US House of Representatives announced Thursday it may call him to testify. | He is likely to face more aggressive scrutiny of his role in the crisis: the US House of Representatives announced Thursday it may call him to testify. |