Michigan has agreed to a preliminary settlement paying $600 million to victims of the 2014 Flint water crisis.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the deal on Thursday (Aug. 19).
Gretchen Whitmer issued the following statement:
From our first month in office, Attorney General Nessel and I made it clear to our teams that even though we inherited this situation, it was our responsibility to achieve the best possible settlement for the children and families of Flint – as soon as we could.
Protecting all Michiganders and their access to clean water is a priority for my administration to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.
What happened in Flint should have never happened, and financial compensation with this settlement is just one of the many ways we can continue to show our support for the city of Flint and its families.
The agreement includes the following:
- Working to help the city complete lead service-line replacement;
- A 2021 State budget that includes millions of dollars for Flint’s ongoing nutrition programs, child health care services, early childhood programs, lead prevention and abatement, school aid, services to seniors, and other programs supporting people in Flint who were previously exposed to lead and other contaminants.
- A 2020 budget that included $120M to clean up drinking water through investments in water infrastructure;
- Creating the Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate, and the appointment of a clean water public advocate and an environmental justice public advocate; and
- New lead and copper water quality standards that are the strictest in the nation.
According to a release, the parties are currently working to document all the details.
For more information, head to flintsettlementfacts.org.