Flint Water Crisis: The EPA Wasn't Listening to Flint Residents

Today, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigated the Flint Water Crisis and heard testimony from officials and experts on the crisis.

The witnesses were former EPA Region Five Administrator Susan Hedman, former Flint Emergency Manager Darnell Earley, former Flint Mayor Dayne Walling, and Virginia Tech Professor Marc Edwards, an expert on Flint’s water crisis.

In his opening presentation, House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz presented an email from EPA Region Five Water Division Branch Chief Debbie Baltazar to her colleagues in which Baltazar said, “I’m not so sure Flint is the community we want to go out on a limb for.”

In follow-up questioning, Chairman Chaffetz asked Hedman if anyone at the EPA did anything wrong. She replied, “I don’t think anyone at EPA did anything wrong.”

Representative John Moolenaar (R-Midland) visited Flint this past Saturday (pictures) and released the following statement:

“I was in Flint on Saturday and I heard from residents about the struggle they are facing because of this crisis. I spoke with Melissa Mays, and she shared with me how much she appreciated me reading one of her quotes to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy when I questioned her last month.

“The people of Flint want to know that someone is listening to them and it’s clear the EPA did not do that. It is disgraceful that an EPA official would say they do not want to go out on a limb for Flint. It is the EPA’s job to protect all Americans.

“Susan Hedman repeatedly refused to admit that anyone at the EPA did anything wrong. As I pointed out in my questioning last month, the EPA had the power under the Safe Drinking Act to warn the public about Flint’s water. It failed to do so.

“There is nothing courageous about Susan Hedman refusing to admit responsibility and Administrator McCarthy should step up and admit responsibility for her agency’s failures in the crisis.

“I thank Chairman Chaffetz for visiting Flint on Saturday and for his leadership on this investigation.”

Rep. John Moolenaar questions EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on February 11. She called Susan Hedman's resignation, "courageous." Click the picture to see video.

Go here to see pictures of Rep. Moolenaar in Flint on Saturday.