“For months, the call has been public and aggressive for Dan Wyant to remove himself from his position, or to have Gov. Rick Snyder do the deed for him. There are many culpable parties involved in the continued decline of health and safety during the water crisis in the city of Flint, and Wyant was just one figure in a menagerie of offenders. While there is still much cleanup to be done, I am glad Mr. Wyant realized he could no longer continue as the head of the disorganized and flawed DEQ, and I call on Gov. Snyder to take careful effort in repairing this department so that it earns back the trust of the people of Flint and this great state.
“There is a need today to make sure we look to the future, so instances such as the mess the DEQ caused do not occur again. In the past year during this crisis, I have introduced legislation to help keep citizens safe and informed, including House Bill 5094, which would fix the process for the collection of water samples. I am hopeful and eager for this bill to get a hearing, because once passed, it will make sure the DEQ cannot ignore water samples as they did in Flint. The health and safety of our citizens must be paramount in all we do.”