Governor Rick Snyder apologized to the City of Flint on Tuesday for the drinking water crisis that has left children poisoned by lead. Snyder received a letter Tuesday morning that was highly critical of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, holding the DEQ with the “primary responsibility” for the crisis. Auditor General Doug Ringler said in a letter on Monday that the DEQ disqualified two samples with high lead levels but was not as strict about disqualifying low lead samples. Following the recent data submission and acknowledgments, the State acknowledge that it misinterpreted a federal rule and failed to require Flint to add needed corrosion-control chemicals that would have prevented lead from leaching into the drinking water from pipes, connections, and fixtures.
Snyder also announced on Tuesday that he accepted the resignation of Michigan DEQ Director Dan Wyant. The governor said, “I want the Flint community to know how very sorry I am that this has happened. Dan Wyant has offered his resignation and I’ve determined that it’s appropriate to accept it.” Snyder announced his actions are among the “initial steps” he is taking to ensure the safety of Flint residents while confirming there will be other personnel changes at the DEQ. A spokesman for Snyder confirmed that DEQ public information officer Brad Wurfel, who apologized after criticizing a researcher’s reports of rising lead levels in the blood of Flint children as irresponsible, resigned voluntarily on Tuesday.
The governor said he acted based on interim findings of the Flint Water Advisory Task Force, which he appointed October 21st to investigate the crisis. The task force is continuing its work. Snyder acknowledge differences within the scientific community and he has directed both the “Environmental Quality and Health and Human Services to invite every external scientist who has worked on this issue to be our partners in helping us improve Flint water.” The crisis has prompted a federal class-action and the U.S. Department of Justice will also involve itself in the investigation.