It's anyone following the flint water issue?

[ivwshane]

Many in power are Teflon to charges like these. Perhaps Snyder should have been arrested, but his crimes are of greed, negligence, and stupidity. He didn't seek out to harm the people of Flint, so I doubt that they'll incarcerate him.

This incident (including the increase in legionella) showcases the fragility of the water supply. The rivers used to run clear, now they're just murky, chemical, fertilizer, algae, and whatever ridden "water"ways. When it floods, you see a sea of brownish-gray from sewage seeping in. We get out what we put in.

Clearly we need less regulations.


/s

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Clearly we need less regulations.


/s

Yeah! The EPA was instrumental in preventing this. They also were instrumental in helping people out that were impacted by the pollution released into the river by the EPA

We need effective regulation

 

[HomerJS]

Yeah! The EPA was instrumental in preventing this. They also were instrumental in helping people out that were impacted by the pollution released into the river by the EPA

We need effective regulation

Clearly the EPA was ineffective in preventing Gov. Rick Snyder from poisoning the children of Flint.

 

[HomerJS]

Many in power are Teflon to charges like these. Perhaps Snyder should have been arrested, but his crimes are of greed, negligence, and stupidity. He didn't seek out to harm the people of Flint, so I doubt that they'll incarcerate him.

This incident (including the increase in legionella) showcases the fragility of the water supply. The rivers used to run clear, now they're just murky, chemical, fertilizer, algae, and whatever ridden "water"ways. When it floods, you see a sea of brownish-gray from sewage seeping in. We get out what we put in.

If a drunk driver kills someone aren't they arrested even though they didn't seek to harm anyone?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Clearly the EPA was ineffective in preventing Gov. Rick Snyder from poisoning the children of Flint.

Point is they appear to both be accountable for what happened. I'd bet there are others too.
We need to understand who knew what and when and what they chose to do with what they knew. Accountability is important.

 

[ivwshane]

Point is they appear to both be accountable for what happened. I'd bet there are others too.
We need to understand who knew what and when and what they chose to do with what they knew. Accountability is important.

We understand exactly what happened! The DEQ didn't do any of the necessary steps to ensure the pipes would be able to handle the new water source. They also didn't test the water correctly and gave false readings which contributed to the EPA's slow response. We then have a failure of government at the local and state level for handling known issues.

 

[werepossum]

Many in power are Teflon to charges like these. Perhaps Snyder should have been arrested, but his crimes are of greed, negligence, and stupidity. He didn't seek out to harm the people of Flint, so I doubt that they'll incarcerate him.

This incident (including the increase in legionella) showcases the fragility of the water supply. The rivers used to run clear, now they're just murky, chemical, fertilizer, algae, and whatever ridden "water"ways. When it floods, you see a sea of brownish-gray from sewage seeping in. We get out what we put in.

Clear isn't really an indicator. We have a couple creeks locally which regularly get overflows from broken sanitary sewer lines in Red Bank. They are crystal clear and full of life. They also have bacterial counts that would do a heavily used septic tank proud.

 

[Victorian Gray]

Will we see some indictments down the road?

Special counsel: Manslaughter charge possible in Flint

"Lansing — Todd Flood, special counsel for the state attorney general’s office investigation into the Flint water crisis, said Tuesday the probe could lead to a variety of criminal charges or civil actions.

“We’re here to investigate what possible crimes there are, anything to the involuntary manslaughter or death that may have happened to some young person or old person because of this poisoning, to misconduct in office,” he said. “We take this very seriously.”

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...er-charge-possible-flint-water-case/80063354/

 

[werepossum]

Will we see some indictments down the road?

Special counsel: Manslaughter charge possible in Flint

"Lansing — Todd Flood, special counsel for the state attorney general’s office investigation into the Flint water crisis, said Tuesday the probe could lead to a variety of criminal charges or civil actions.

“We’re here to investigate what possible crimes there are, anything to the involuntary manslaughter or death that may have happened to some young person or old person because of this poisoning, to misconduct in office,” he said. “We take this very seriously.”

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...er-charge-possible-flint-water-case/80063354/

Hard to see how we don't. Nine people have died from Legionnaires’ disease since switching to Flint River water. The Legionella bacteria are either very transient free-living bacteria or more likely, living symbiotically inside amoebae. Even leaving aside the lead issue, taking a river known to be as polluted as the Flint and apparently not even treating sufficiently to kill bacteria and/or amoebae is the height of incompetence.

The DEQ doesn't design water treatment methodology or facilities, but they are responsible for reviewing all plans and proposals, which requires competency in water treatment methodology as well as verifying that the people who are designing the water treatment methodology and facilities are qualified and know what they are doing. The DEQ is Michigan's top authority for enforcing state and federal environmental and public safety laws. Below them, we have the people who designed the water treatment facility, who are expected to be competent, and then the locals who made the decisions. Above them we have the governor and his appointees, both at state level and locally. The only way something like this happens is with a breakdown on many levels, from locals and the governor (who aren't expected to be experts, but are expected to find qualified people and listen to what they say) to the DEQ and EPA (who are expected to be experts, and behave accordingly.)

If we don't see indictments, in my opinion it's only because the sheer scope of the fuck-up gives a lot of people on both sides of the aisle incentive to see that no one is prosecuted, lest they be caught up too. I don't see how something so fucked on so many levels can be an honest fuck-up. Either a culture of incompetence, or a culture of dishonesty. Or both.

 

[mysticjbyrd]

I wouldn't hold my breath for people to be held criminally responsible.