Feds Getting into MI Lead Pipes (again!) - US Senator Gary Peters

After the Flint lead-contaminated water fiasco, you might think state and federal governments would leave such radioactive issues to the locals whose job it is.

Perhaps because accountability for the Flint fiasco petered out to near-invisibility, both levels of governments are once again avidly interfering.

I wrote in March and April of last year about MDHHS' strange obsession with fixing lead pipes in Benton Harbor. The department's number press releases naming Benton Harbor now exceeds 170, despite the city's original, objective lead levels being no higher than a dozen other large Democrat-run Michigan cities.

Today, oddly enough, Michigan's US Senator Gary Peters brags on appropriating more funds to fix Benton Harbor's lead pipes.

Perhaps he missed the Dec 13, 2022 MDHHS Press Release declaring the city's lead pipes 99.4% replaced.

And also missed Michigan's dashboard indicating 100% completion.

Sen. Peters' summary of federal plans was published in his constituent email blast.

Friend ­­––

Every Michigander deserves access to safe, clean drinking water — but that hasn’t been the reality for far too many communities across our state.

I’m fighting to change that. I helped pass the bipartisan infrastructure law, which included $15 billion to help remove and replace lead pipes in Michigan and across the country. This investment will support a transformative effort to replace lead pipes, help more families access safe drinking water , and marks a necessary step towards rebuilding trust in communities that have suffered for far too long. 

In addition to these critical resources, the Biden Administration also announced last week that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to require the removal of nearly all lead pipes across the country over the next ten years – a long-overdue move that I strongly support.

But I know we need to do more for Michigan households. That’s why I delivered significant federal funding to help improve the water systems in Benton Harbor  and Hamtramck, help Oscoda make drinking water more readily available, and the largest federal investment to keep our Great Lakes clean for future generations.   

Through my work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’ve also helped advance bipartisan legislation  that would fund Michigan priorities like lead reduction efforts, local water infrastructure updates, and toxic PFAS chemical removal efforts.  

I know the work isn’t done yet, and I’m going to keep pushing to make sure everyone in Michigan can access the safe, clean drinking water they need.

Thanks for reading,

Gary Peters
United States Senator for Michiganbi