Did Flint's water become poisoned because of political favors to frackers?

Roughly 10,000 kids have been exposed to elevated levels of lead in the Flint, Michigan drinking water over the past one and a half years. The cost of addressing the problem has been estimated at $100 million to $1.5 billion.

How did this happen? Why was Flint's water supply switched from a good source to an acidic source that corroded the pipes and leached lead into the drinking water?

Steve Neavling in the Motor City Muckraker writes:

“The Flint water crisis that led to thousands of people being poisoned began because state officials maintained it would save the cash-strapped city money by disconnecting from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) and using a different source. But it turns out, DWSD offered the state-controlled city a deal that would have saved Flint more money by staying with Detroit.

… The offer by DWSD raises serious questions about whether Gov. Rick Snyder was lying when he insisted the water switch was motivated by saving money for Flint, which was under the control of a state emergency manager.

…Now it seems clear why Snyder wouldn’t release the e-mails [from 2013]: They would have revealed that the switch was not about saving money. So what was it about? Some have suggested that Snyder was motivated by a desire to break up DWSD and ultimately privatize it. … Others have suggested that Snyder wanted to start fracking operations along a new pipeline.” http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2016/01/23/gov-snyder-lied-flint-wate...

Regarding fracking in Michigan, Mark Maynard speculates:

“Would it surprise you to learn that the children of Flint were ultimately poisoned because Snyder’s donors demanded that a pipeline be built to service their fracking operations?" http://markmaynard.com/2016/01/could-the-flint-water-crisis-have-its-origins-in-a-desire-to-increase-fracking-in-michigan/

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Permalink Reply by M. Sean Joyce on January 30, 2016 at 3:31am

What is this? six degrees of Kevin Bacon modified to six degrees of fracking?  Thatsa funny joke.

The forever leftist run Flint believes fat pensions are more important than  clean drinking water. Obama EPA knew about this a year ago and swept it under the rug. As I recall Flint squealed like babies when the state was forced to take over the leftist mismanaged city. Now they try to blame the Republican governor. I think not. Maybe P Diddy will fix it or the penshioners. Not one penny of fed money should be spent on Leftist Flint

 

Permalink Reply by Gas Boy on January 30, 2016 at 5:14am

No stupid Paul, Flint's water did not become poisoned because of political favors to frackers.................it became poisoned because the government needs the low income minorities as victims.

Permalink Reply by Paul Heckbert on February 1, 2016 at 10:31am

WTF Is Happening in the Flint Water Crisis, Explained

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/wtf-is-happening-in-the-f...

Permalink Reply by Ragnars Repo on February 1, 2016 at 11:17am
And the Zika virus is Rachel Carson's fault.
Permalink Reply by Gas Boy on February 1, 2016 at 1:43pm

Anyone who believes that Rolling Stone magazines' articles are unbiased and truthful in any sort of way is a fool.

Permalink Reply by Barry D on February 1, 2016 at 1:54pm

Gas Boy,

Once again it's obvious that Paul didn't even read what he has posted.

His original contention was that this horrible situation exists due to favors that the "frackers" received. This article blows that contention away.

And, I agree, you have to be pretty hard up for support if you cite Rolling Stone for this type of issue.

Permalink Reply by st. croix on February 3, 2016 at 1:34pm
Hey Paul!!
Did you ever watch ESPN? They do a short segment called "COME ON MAN"? If not you should give it a try
Permalink Reply by Barry D on February 3, 2016 at 3:38pm

THE ANSWER IS, NO!

Did Flint's water become poisoned because of political favors to frackers?

Paul, you knew the answer to the question when you posted it.

After all the evidence presented,here and the media etc., we all know the answer to your question is NO!.

Be a man! Admit it! At least for once admit you were WRONG!

Do you have the courage? Do you have the ethical fortitude?

My guess is no.

Prove me wrong, admit you are wrong. Please (cherry on top).

Permalink Reply by Thomas Lilli on February 3, 2016 at 4:19pm
These people don't do what they do in the name of being right. They do it in the name of activism.

In a couple years it will be something we have not even heard of and they will March and blog as if it's the end of the world.
Permalink Reply by Paul Heckbert on February 10, 2016 at 5:28pm

In Flint news, I've seen little new about Michigan frackwater supply pipelines, or Michigan governor Snyder's 2013 emails, but Mark Maynard summarized recent congressional hearings:

"So, just to sum up… In an incredibly ironic twist, we heard a number of House Republicans, who, up until a few weeks ago, wanted to see the EPA defunded to the point of non-existence, making the case that what happened in Flint was not the case of a state administration that chose to subvert democracy in order to prioritize tax cuts over public heath, but a federal environmental agency that wasn’t aggressive enough to stop them… Stay tuned. I suspect, in a few months, the irony will be further compounded when these same House Republicans vote for additional EPA cuts, defending the move by pointing to how the agency “botched” Flint."

http://markmaynard.com/2016/02/in-an-ironic-twist-house-republicans...

Permalink Reply by craig on February 11, 2016 at 3:33am

So Paul, you are saying a corrupt State gov't wasn't stopped by a corrupt Federal Gov't??

I guess two wrongs do make a right in an extreme environmentalist's view.

I can see how that makes sense to you.

Permalink Reply by Paul Heckbert on February 18, 2016 at 6:50am

Here's a good discussion of pollution in water supplies:

Beyond Flint: The Safety Of America’s Tap Water

https://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-02-17/beyond-flint-the-safe...

"Michigan’s governor, Rick Snyder, vows he’ll do what it takes to make sure the tap water in Flint, Michigan is safe again. He proposes spending close to $200 million dollars on bottled water, filters, infrastructure improvements, and other programs to help the beleaguered residents of flint. People there were drinking, bathing and cooking with water contaminated with lead for more than a year before state officials acknowledged the problem. The crisis in Flint has prompted officials in a number of other cities to take a closer look into the safety of their tap water. Join us to talk about water safety."

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