FLINT, MI - President Barack Obama has signed an emergency declaration following a request from Gov. Rick Snyder that would open the door for federal aid to deal with Flint's water crisis.
"The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in Genesee County," reads a statement from FEMA.
Snyder asked on Jan. 14 for President Obama to declare a federal emergency, after a state of emergency was declared by the governor on Jan. 5 in Genesee County.
FEMA is authorized to provide equipment and resources to "alleviate the impacts of the emergency," according to the statement."Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding," reads the statement. "This emergency assistance is to provide water, water filters, water filter cartridges, water test kits, and other necessary related items for a period of no more than 90 days."
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, has named David G. Samaniego as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the Flint area.
U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, said he welcomed the president's announcement.
"The residents and children of Flint deserve every resource available to make sure that they have safe water and are able to recover from this terrible man-made disaster created by the state," Kildee said.