Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday morning released all the emails that were subject to Freedom of Information Act requests at several state agencies regarding the lead-contaminated water in Flint.
The amount of emails numbered in the tens of thousands.
Snyder has been under scrutiny for his response to the water crisis in the eastern Michigan city as many people have been frustrated with the plodding response of his administration. Local groups have been calling for Snyder to release all communications related to the crisis.
“All levels of government failed the people of Flint,” Snyder said. “This crisis should never have happened, but we are making progress each day to meet the needs of residents. By making the information easily accessible, everyone can review it and take what they need, and then we can all focus and work together on solutions, healing and moving Flint forward.”
Under Michigan law, the governor and lawmakers are not subject to Freedom of Information Act requests, so there is already doubt being cast by some about what will be in the emails.
Snyder has released emails he received and sent regarding the crisis in Flint, but, as noted on the statement announcing the email dump Friday, the release of the documents is not a waiver of legal privilege to be exempt from the law.
In April 2014, Flint switched its water source from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, which draws water from Lake Huron, to a local agency that also would take water from the lake.
However, the infrastructure needed to get water from Lake Huron to Flint under the new agency was not yet built, so an emergency manager appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder decided to take water from the Flint River as a temporary measure.
The water from the Flint River is so polluted and acidic that the water ate away at the lead pipes bringing water to the city’s homes.
Read all the emails here.
