EPA awards $100 million to upgrade Flint water system

[babylonsister]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-michigan-water-idUSKBN16O288?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

Fri Mar 17, 2017 | 12:35pm EDT
EPA awards $100 million to upgrade Flint water system

By Valerie Volcovici | WASHINGTON


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday it had awarded $100 million to upgrade Flint, Michigan's drinking water infrastructure to address a crisis that exposed thousands of children to lead poisoning.

The grant to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will enable the city to "accelerate and expand" its work to replace lead pipes and make other improvements, according to the EPA. Estimates of the upgrade's cost range from $200 million to $400 million.

Friday's announcement made the disbursement official. Last year, Congress passed and former president Barack Obama signed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to allocate $100 million to aid Flint.

The EPA’s state revolving funds, which Congress can allocate to help with cleanup efforts, were one of the few programs that the Trump administration did not slash in its proposed budget for the agency.

“EPA will especially focus on helping Michigan improve Flint’s water infrastructure as part of our larger goal of improving America’s water infrastructure,” said a statement from agency Administrator Scott Pruitt.

The EPA will make $31.5 million immediately available for lead pipe replacements and upgrades, and Michigan will provide a $20 million required match.

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[Wounded Bear]

1. It's about time...

I mean, I'm glad it's happening, but christ on a crutch, anybody who would oppose and/or delay this has a stain on their character.

Best wishes for the people of Flint. I suspect there are thousands of communities out there with similar problems. I know that locally, there have been incidents of lead in drinking water in schools.

Sad commentary on our nation, to be sure.