Michigan governor devotes speech to Flint water crisis

LANSING, Mich. -- Only a year ago, Rick Snyder began his second term as Michigan governor promoting the same achievements that had propelled him to victory in 2014: The state was at last in the midst of an economic comeback, and Detroit had emerged from bankruptcy.

With the water crisis gripping Flint now threatening to overshadow nearly everything he has accomplished, the Republican governor again pledged a fix during his annual State of the State speech Tuesday night.

"We are praying for you, we are working hard for you and we are absolutely committed to taking the right steps to effectively solve this crisis," he said. "To you, the people of Flint, I say tonight as I have before: I am sorry, and I will fix it."

Snyder committed $28 million more in the short term to dealing with the lead contamination that has left Flint residents unable to drink unfiltered tap water.

He announced the deployment of about 130 more National Guard members to the city and promised to quickly release his emails regarding the crisis that has engulfed his administration with criticism from across the country.

Rick Snyder

He also revealed his appeal of President Barack Obama's denial of a federal disaster declaration for the area, and his aides pledged, by the end of the week, officials would visit every household in Flint to ensure they have water filters.

Snyder devoted much of his 49-minute evening address to the GOP-led Legislature to the disaster as hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside the Capitol.

Many of his other priorities were shelved from the speech due to the crisis, although he did address the mounting financial problems in Detroit's state-overseen school district.

Snyder, whose office is exempt from public-records requests, plans to release his 2014 and 2015 emails today.

He outlined a timeline of the "catastrophe" dating to 2013, and blamed it on failures at the federal, state and local level, but said: "I let you down. You deserve better. You deserve accountability. You deserve to know the buck stops here with me."

The images of an impoverished city where no one dares to drink the water have put Snyder on the defensive and forced him to step up his efforts to help. The governor, who previously apologized for regulatory failures and for an underwhelming initial response, has rejected calls for his resignation and said he received incorrect information from two state agencies.

In recent weeks, he declared a state of emergency, pledged more state funding, activated about 70 National Guardsmen to help distribute lead tests, filters and bottled water, and successfully sought $5 million in federal assistance. But to many people, those steps took way too long.

The new round of funding announced Tuesday, which requires approval from the GOP-led Legislature, is intended as another short-term step while Snyder works to get a better handle on the long-range costs. He plans to make a bigger request in his February budget proposal.

The $28 million would pay for more filters, bottled water, school nurses, intervention specialists, testing and monitoring.

It also would replace plumbing fixtures in schools with lead problems and could help Flint with unpaid water bills.

The crisis began when Flint, about an hour's drive from Detroit, switched its water source in 2014 to save money while under state financial management.

Michigan's top environmental regulator resigned over the failure to ensure the Flint River water was properly treated to keep lead from pipes from leaching into the water.

Exposure to lead can cause behavior problems and learning disabilities in children and kidney ailments in adults.

Elevated blood-lead levels were found in two city zip codes.

The fiasco bruised Snyder, a former venture capitalist and computer executive who took office in 2011 billing himself as a practical decision-maker and a "tough nerd."

When he sought the state's top job, he touted his experience as a turnaround artist committed to making government work better for people.

Democrats have opposed many of Snyder's most sweeping laws, including a new emergency manager measure under which his administration has made budget decisions for struggling cities and school districts.

They say what happened in Flint is an indictment of the GOP's promise to run government like a business.

"The state of our state is not strong when residents are being poisoned by their tap water," House Minority Leader Tim Greimel said.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who attended the address, said Snyder's contrition "does not mitigate the crime that has been committed."