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 craig on January 25, 2016 at 9:18am

I know Paul is way out there but, you have to be reaching very far out there to even consider this as being even remotely plausible.

Of course we all know Paul...

Permalink Reply by Barry D on January 25, 2016 at 10:11am

OK Paul,

You've finally convinced me. I admit, this Flint situation is the last straw.

Shale development in PA, WV and OH is the cause for the bad water in Flint.

So let's immediately ban all shale development in OH, PA and WV.

I mean that's your point right?

Permalink Reply by G.H. on January 25, 2016 at 12:29pm

LOL

This is so ridiculous

Permalink Reply by David Perotto on January 25, 2016 at 1:55pm

A new low for Paul, pathetic stretch by any sane person's measure.

Permalink Reply by LERRET on January 25, 2016 at 2:07pm

Where's your Tin Hat?

Permalink Reply by Thomas Lilli on January 25, 2016 at 11:34pm
But as we have seen in political debates from the highest reaches of office in this country these last seven years, it's not about truth or reality, it's about making your agenda real by repeating it over and over again!

You just have to abandon reason, logic and responsibility so as to push a narrative and repeat it night and day.
Permalink Reply by David Allen Lilly on January 26, 2016 at 12:05am

I like your last name. Did any in your family come from Beckley West Virginia in the last few generations ?

Permalink Reply by Thomas Lilli on January 26, 2016 at 12:41am
Hi Dave,
I have a distant cousin in WVA but not on the Lilli side. My mother was a Habor and grandmother a Waskovich. I think the maiden name of my cousin there is WASKOVICH although I'm sure she's long passed.

Lilli is Italian from the Northern Umbria province. My grandparents were from Gubbio, near Jessup Italy. This region is famous for pottery, certain pasta and the race of the saints festival held in May each year. It has been featured National Geographic TV.

I'm not sure about the spelling Lilly, whether it's a alternate spelling or a different region of Europe.

Do you know your history of your family?
Permalink Reply by David Allen Lilly on January 26, 2016 at 1:07am

I know it a little ways back but probably not as far as you know yours.

About 3 generations ago the Lilly family merged with the Richmond clan in what would have been Southern Virginia just a few years previous. My Great Grandmother was a Plumley. I had the distinct pleasure of knowing 3 on my Great Grandmothers, two of which were in Southern West Virginia.

Shooting straight from my memory I found that the first cabin in the newly laid out town of Beckley West Virginia was built by a Lilly man from "up in the mountains".

I have long suspected that the "Lilly" name came from France. I recall also a strange encounter with another Lilly about 25 years ago who told me that he had researched the name and found that some of the first Lilly's here were hunters, trappers and traders who inter-mingled with and married up with the native American Indians found here, which would explain a lot about me.

I have never heard the names Waskovich or Habor, but I will ask of my Father's cousin who has done some extensive research into our genealogy.

It has been very interesting to talk with you, thank you for your time. I will keep in touch.

Permalink Reply by Thomas Lilli on January 26, 2016 at 1:32am
Sure enough.

The Lilli family from our end is pretty easy in the US. In 1917, my grandfather on my father's side imigrated from Gubbio and settled in the coal regions of PA. That would be Old Forge, near Scranton. He had three sons, my father and his two brothers. My uncle had one son and my father had an only son, my brother (that's an inside joke). So in truth, after my father and his two brothers died, there are only three Lilli men to carry the name. I have no kids and my brother the only child, had two daughters. My cousin had one son. As far as I know, that's it for the Lilli name in the US. I think my grandfather had a brother in Italy but I'm not sure what happened to him. I do know when I went to Gubbio the first time, there were cousins with the Lilli name there but I did not get to visit them.

You definitely have a much more diverse genealogy. Let me know what you find out.
Permalink Reply by Dan on January 26, 2016 at 2:32am
I work thruout WV and have met Lilly's in Beckley & Coal City. A lot of them in the area. Driven on two different Plumley Mountain Roads, not connected, up on Hinton Mountain I think. They have a bit of snow there now.
Permalink Reply by David Allen Lilly on January 26, 2016 at 6:17am

Thank you both very much for an interesting conversation. There was at one time a Lilly West Virginia, but it was flooded in by some authority to create a state park for a lake.

Too bad my information is packed away or I could share more with you guys.

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