Statement by Congressman Dan Kildee on the Announcement of the EPA’s Audit of MDEQ

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) issued the following statement after a meeting today with the Regional Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who announced that the EPA will audit the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's (MDEQ) drinking water program. Congressman Kildee previously called for a full review of the water problems in Flint. "Today, I met with the EPA Region 5 Administrator, Susan Hedman, and the Flint Drinking Water Task Force to discuss her internal review of the EPA's oversight of MDEQ's handling of Flint's water. The people of Flint deserve answers, and I welcome the EPA's audit of the state's actions that led to the Flint water crisis. The EPA's audit and task force will hopefully begin to restore confidence among Flint residents regarding the safety of the water. "While this meeting was an important step forward and provided answers to a number of my concerns, it raised additional questions about the actions of MDEQ and other state officials, including the emergency financial manager, and the decisions they made that led to this crisis. An audit is a critical next step that will help uncover the facts and ensure that the appropriate people are held accountable. "Later this month, I will testify at a meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council on what we've learned firsthand in Flint and necessary improvements to the Lead and Copper Rule. This will be an important moment to highlight the changes that are needed to ensure that a crisis like the one Flint faces does not occur anywhere else in the country."