Michigan lawmakers decided to extend the state of emergency regarding the Flint water crisis for four more months. This will reportedly enable them to tap more state funds and coordinate with authorities in an attempt to solve the lead contamination in the city's drinking water.
According to Reuters, the latest extension matched the timeline of the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA has announced last month that they will extend their emergency assistance to Flint until August 14 from this month. Such aid from FEMA includes bottled water, filters, and test kits handed out to the citizens in the affected area.
The extension of the state of emergency also applies to Genesee County, a neighboring town of Flint. State officials will then be able to tap funds that are restricted.
A spokesman from the office of Governor Rick Snyder said via telephone that the state is committed to continue working with Flint in order to provide strong support and continue depending on all the resources available to help the affected citizens, The Detroit News reported.
Snyder was questioned by a U.S. Congressional committee last March regarding his and his administration's response to Flint's water crisis. He has resisted the calls for his resignation and proposed instead a total of $230 million funding for Flint.
Flint has been under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager when they switched their source of water from the Detroit system to the Flint River back in April 2014 in an attempt to save money. This has been halted and the city switched back just this October 2015 after tests found high levels of lead in children's blood samples.
Meanwhile, Detroit Free Press reported that another hearing will take place over the Flint water crisis. The latest hearing will be held by a subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Committee chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, said that the latest hearing will be seeking what can be learned from the Flint water crisis.
