Michigan governor revamps environmental agency after Flint

Source: Associated Press

John Flesher and David Eggert, Associated Press
Updated 1:14 pm CST, Monday, February 4, 2019

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took steps Monday to restructure and rename the state environmental agency that drew criticism for its handling of the Flint water crisis under former Gov. Rick Snyder.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will become the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. The agency will house new public advocacy offices for clean water and "environmental justice" to investigate complaints about water quality and help ensure fair consideration of low-income and minority community interests.

While not referring specifically to Flint, Whitmer said during a ceremony where she signed three executive orders that "communities across our state don't trust the water coming out of their taps and there's a real lack of trust in state government."

Despite the state's vast fresh water resources in the heart of the Great Lakes region, "there are parents who cannot bathe their kids or give them a glass a water at the dinner table with confidence," said Whitmer, a Democrat elected last November. "It is time for that to change."

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/APNewsBreak-Michigan-governor-revamps-agency-13587335.php