Erin Brockovich on the Flint water crisis
https://www.yahoo.com/katiecouric/erin-brockovich-on-the-flint-water-crisis-155704708.html
Consumer advocate and environmental activist Erin Brockovich joined Yahoo News and Finance Anchor Bianna Golodryga on Yahoo News Live to discuss the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Mich. She discussed the causes of the crisis, the accountability of state officials and how this is a national problem.
Brockovich explained the cause of Flints crisis and why the city switched from Lake Huron to the Flint River. She told Golodryga, Because the city was in bankruptcy, there was an appointed emergency city water manager who decided to save a buck and the governor agreed. They made the switch, added the chloramines that caused all this lead to leach out, and nobody disclosed anything to the residents.
She said that state officials did not know how to properly get water to Flint. I dont think they necessarily knew what they were doing, which can be very scary. You know water quality is chemistry. You need to know what youre doing and you need be able to say, you know, this is not in my sphere or scope of understanding and rely on somebody to do that. Thats why I really have to look at this emergency water manager that was in place, because we actually provided them a report and a protocol on what to do to avoid this and how to treat the water. She continued, Its frightening to think that we step in as an agency and we dont know what were doing with water quality, and the outcome would be the risk and to jeopardize so many people.
Brockovich had already called on Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to resign. On Yahoo News Live she went further to suggest criminal charges should be considered: They created this mess and they cant continue to hide behind it. This is where the residents have every right, and I stand with the residents, to be absolutely furious. This lack of transparency, this deception that cost them their health, their childrens health, potentially for life, is inexcusable. We should be looking at criminal charges. This is why they want (Snyder) to step down. As long as hes going to continue to be in office, youve got to stop hiding behind the story. She continued, You cant change what hes done, but begin to correct it moving forward so they have a safer, broader solution. This isnt going to go away overnight.
Time for a sequel?