A state task force says most of the responsibility for the Flint water crisis rests with Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality.
The group released it's final report on Wednesday. It blames "cultural shortcomings" at DEQ and lists several mistakes including misinterpreting regulations, under-reporting lead levels, waiting too long to accept an offer of help from the Environmental Protection Agency's lead experts, and being too slow to investigate the possibility that an outbreak of legionnaires' disease was linked to the Flint river.
Chris Kolb, Committee member and president of the Michigan Environmental Council said, "It was a mixture of ignorance, incompetence and arrogance by many decision makers that created this toxic and tragic situation that produced the Flint water crisis. And it all could have been avoided and prevented."
The report says two state-appointed managers are responsible for switching the city to the Flint river. The task force is recommending the state take another look at the law because many managers chosen to fix financial problems don't have the expertise to make other decisions about running a city. Governor Rick Snyder agrees.
"I think the law has value overall. Can it be improved? I'm always open to that discussion and I appreciate the recommendations and I look forward to talking to the legislature about that at some point in the future."
The report does look at mistakes made by Flint, Genesee County, and the EPA. But it says the Snyder administration has to take the bulk of the blame.
