The state of Michigan announced Thursday that it has agreed to pay $ 600 million to Flint residents whose health was affected by lead-contaminated drinking water in a crisis that encouraged a class action lawsuit and became emblematic of the poorer, majority -Black communities can suffer from government mismanagement.
The offices of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel said they have been negotiating for more than 18 months with lawyers for thousands of Flint residents who have filed lawsuits against the state in the wake of the scandal that began in April 2014.
Whitmer, a Democrat who took office last year, said in a statement that the money in some people may not be enough yet and “many will still feel justified frustration with a system and structure that is sometimes inadequate to fully to address what has happened to people in Flint over the last six years. “
She added that “Flint’s cure will take a long time, but our continued efforts and announcement today are important steps in helping all of us move forward.”
Nessel, a Democrat, said the majority of the settlement goes to claims filed on behalf of children who were found by tests to have elevated lead levels in their blood. Exposure to lead can cause behavioral problems and learning disabilities in young children, health officials warned.
Under the deal, the state raises the $ 600 million fund and Flint residents can file claims for compensation. The amount per applicant would be based on how badly they were compromised.
It requires spending 80 percent of the money on people under the age of 18 during the period when Flint used river water, Nessel said.
“This settlement focuses on the children and the future of Flint, and the state will do everything in its power to take this a step further in the healing process for one of Michigan’s most notorious cities,” she said in a statement. “Finally, by reaching this agreement, we hope to begin the process of writing one of the most difficult chapters in the history of our state and to write a new one beginning with a government working on behalf of all his people. “
The water crisis in Flint was only the last for a community that saw its financial fortune with the decline of the American auto sector.
In 2014, Flint had switched from the Detroit water system to the Flint River as part of a cost-cutting move, under the state’s financial management. Officials had estimated that the city would save about $ 5 million in cash in less than two years because of the change.
Draining the Flint River had to be an interim resource until the city could participate in a new system to get water from Lake Huron.
But residents complained about the taste, smell and appearance of the water, while officials maintained the water to safety standards.
In the summer of 2015, researchers with Virginia Tech University reported that samples of Flint water had abnormally high lead levels. Shortly afterwards, a group of doctors announced that local children had high levels of lead in their blood and advised Flint to stop water from flowing from the river.
Doe-Gov. Rick Snyder finally acknowledged the problem, accepted the dismissal of his environmental chief and promised to help the city, which continues with Detroit water.
Residents used bottles of water for drinking and household needs for more than a year. Researchers said in late 2016 that lead was no longer detectable in multiple homes.
Lawsuits against the state are being reviewed by U.S. District Judge Judith Levy, who must approve the settlement.
If the state’s regulation gets final court approval, it’s state spending on the Flint water crisis to more than $ 1 billion, and it’s probably the largest settlement in the state’s history. of Michigan, said Nessel’s office.
Michigan has already pumped more than $ 400 million into replacing water pipes, purchasing filters and bottles of water, child health care and other assistance.
Other successes are pending against Flint, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and private consultants who advise the city on water issues.
Heidi Przybyla and Associated Press contributed.
