LANSING — State Representative Phil Phelps (D-Flushing) has called on Gov. Rick Snyder to request federal assistance for Flint residents. In a letter to the governor, Rep. Phelps wrote:
“I am writing to urge you to request assistance from the federal government to aid Flint residents during this water crisis. I greatly appreciate that you quickly declared a State of Emergency after the city of Flint and Genesee County sent declarations to your office, but we simply can’t keep relying on donations from concerned groups and citizens to supply water and services to Flint residents. If the state is not prepared to pay for water and other services we should request assistance from the federal government immediately.”
Gov. Snyder declared a State of Emergency in the city of Flint early last week, but as of Sunday, the state had not yet supplied water or relief services to city residents.
“So far, all of the water being delivered to residents has been provided by good Samaritans, and all the work has been coordinated by the Genesee County sheriff. If the governor is not going to put forth a plan on how the state is going to pay for an appropriate response to the crisis his administration created, then he needs to request help from the feds,” said Phelps. “President Obama’s chief of staff has said that they are waiting for the governor to request help. The governor needs to act now. Every day he waits is another day children risk being poisoned by lead.”