U.S. District Judge Judith Levy approved on Wednesday a $626 million settlement to the residents of Flint, Michigan in a settlement Levy wrote was “a remarkable achievement.”
“It sets forth a comprehensive compensation program and timeline that is consistent for every qualifying participant, regardless of whether they are members of a class or are non-class individuals represented by their own counsel,” Levy noted.
Of the hefty settlement, $600 million will be coming from the state of Michigan for shifting the city of Flint’s water supply from Detroit’s system to the Flint River to save money. Officials prioritized profit over people and blatantly ignored residents’ concerns in a clear case of systemic racism, as noted by the state’s Civil Rights Commission. It took until 2015 for Flint to switch its water supply back to Detroit’s system after Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha’s research revealed that children’s blood lead levels doubled when drinking from water provided by the Flint River.
The effects of the crisis linger as lead pipes continue to be replaced, pipes continue to be excavated and inspected, and residents remain distrustful. It’s been just five years since Flint’s water finally met federal guidelines and continues to do so. Sadly, the crisis in Flint is only unique in that it reached levels of national and international attention. Other communities in Michigan like Manistee and Benton Harbor have grappled with their own crises, as have cities around the country and even entire states. Lead contamination is so widespread that one study shows nearly half of U.S. children have detectable levels of lead in their blood, the majority of whom live at or below the poverty line, in majority-Black communities, or in houses built before 1950.
Progress is finally being made in tackling this nationwide crisis that effects some of the most underserved communities. The Infrastructure Act allocates $15 billion for lead pipe remediation. It reserves an additional $9 billion to be used in fighting “emerging contaminants” like perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which can accumulate in humans and cause health problems. According to some experts and activists, $15 billion makes a dent in the lead crisis but falls short of the estimated $60 billion needed to replace lead pipes completely.
U.S. Water Alliance Policy and Government Affairs Director Scott Berry called the measure “transformative for some communities” in an interview with Slate. Once Biden signs the bill into law on Monday, the battle against contaminants like lead shifts to yet another major piece of legislation. The Build Back Better Act earmarks $5 billion for lead remediation and healthy housing funding. It also prioritizes major housing justice initiatives that go beyond just removing toxic substances from homes. It’s one of the many reasons that lawmakers must prioritize this bill and pass it with the urgency the crises it aims to tackle deserve. Call on lawmakers to get it done and pass the Build Back Better Act.
“It sets forth a comprehensive compensation program and timeline that is consistent for every qualifying participant, regardless of whether they are members of a class or are non-class individuals represented by their own counsel,” Levy noted.
Of the hefty settlement, $600 million will be coming from the state of Michigan for shifting the city of Flint’s water supply from Detroit’s system to the Flint River to save money. Officials prioritized profit over people and blatantly ignored residents’ concerns in a clear case of systemic racism, as noted by the state’s Civil Rights Commission. It took until 2015 for Flint to switch its water supply back to Detroit’s system after Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha’s research revealed that children’s blood lead levels doubled when drinking from water provided by the Flint River.
The effects of the crisis linger as lead pipes continue to be replaced, pipes continue to be excavated and inspected, and residents remain distrustful. It’s been just five years since Flint’s water finally met federal guidelines and continues to do so. Sadly, the crisis in Flint is only unique in that it reached levels of national and international attention. Other communities in Michigan like Manistee and Benton Harbor have grappled with their own crises, as have cities around the country and even entire states. Lead contamination is so widespread that one study shows nearly half of U.S. children have detectable levels of lead in their blood, the majority of whom live at or below the poverty line, in majority-Black communities, or in houses built before 1950.
Progress is finally being made in tackling this nationwide crisis that effects some of the most underserved communities. The Infrastructure Act allocates $15 billion for lead pipe remediation. It reserves an additional $9 billion to be used in fighting “emerging contaminants” like perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which can accumulate in humans and cause health problems. According to some experts and activists, $15 billion makes a dent in the lead crisis but falls short of the estimated $60 billion needed to replace lead pipes completely.
U.S. Water Alliance Policy and Government Affairs Director Scott Berry called the measure “transformative for some communities” in an interview with Slate. Once Biden signs the bill into law on Monday, the battle against contaminants like lead shifts to yet another major piece of legislation. The Build Back Better Act earmarks $5 billion for lead remediation and healthy housing funding. It also prioritizes major housing justice initiatives that go beyond just removing toxic substances from homes. It’s one of the many reasons that lawmakers must prioritize this bill and pass it with the urgency the crises it aims to tackle deserve. Call on lawmakers to get it done and pass the Build Back Better Act.