![](https://www.indianz.com/News/2016/03/02/ginamccarthy022216.jpg)
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy speaks at the National Congress of American Indians executive council winter session in Washington, D.C., on February 22, 2016. Photo by Indianz.Com
Administrator Gina McCarthy of the Environmental Protection Agency faced fire over the Gold King Mine disaster that polluted the waters of three tribes in Colorado and New Mexico. She will be testifying this week on a related crisis: the lead water contamination in Flint, Michigan:
More than 40 percent of Flint residents live in poverty. While the contours of Flint’s water crisis are unique, the underlying circumstances that led to it, sadly, are not. As a country, we have a long history of disinvestment in such communities, which the Obama administration has been working to address. We call them environmental justice communities. Not only are these populations more vulnerable to the health effects of pollution, but they also lack the tools and resources to do something about it. That’s what stacks the deck against cities such as Flint. That’s what creates an environment where a crisis such as this can happen. Across the United States, water infrastructure is aging, antiquated and severely underfunded — particularly in low-income communities. This threatens citizens’ access to safe drinking water — an essential for every human being on Earth. When state and city budgets get slashed, funding for environmental programs is too often the first to suffer. A 2014 study in the Journal of Environmental Health found that more than a third of local health departments across the United States had reduced or eliminated environment-specific services from the prior fiscal year for budgetary reasons.Get the Story:
Gina McCarthy: Michigan evaded the EPA on Flint. We can’t let that happen elsewhere. (The Washington Post 3/15) Also Today:
Former E.P.A. Official to Defend Handling of Flint Water Crisis (The New York Times 3/15)
Recall Effort in Michigan Intensifies Pressure on Gov. Rick Snyder (The New York Times 3/13) House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Notices:
EXAMINING FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT IN FLINT, MICHIGAN, PART 2 (March 15, 2016)
EXAMINING FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT IN FLINT, MICHIGAN, PART 3 (March 17, 2016)
Join the Conversation
Related Stories
EPA encourages more tribes to
develop water quality standards (03/02) House committee issues subpoenas in Gold King Mine disaster (02/19)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee postpones field hearing into EPA (02/08)
EPA asserts a greater role as water crisis in Michigan continues (01/22)
Little River Band contributes $10K to assist city during water crisis (1/19)
House committee set for another hearing on Gold King Mine spill (12/07)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe donates bottled water for city residents (10/7)
Bill aims to address claims arising from spill at Gold King Mine (09/23)
EPA chief faces fire for dealings with tribes after mine disaster (9/17)
House committees hold long hearing into Gold King Mine spill (9/18)
EPA Administrator to appear at three Gold King Mine hearings (09/11)
Navajo Nation hosts Erin Brockovich after spill at Gold King Mine (9/9)
House committee to hold first hearing into Gold King Mine spill (9/8)
Navajo Nation welcomes Erin Brockovich in aftermath of disaster (9/7)
Navajo Nation hires firm to pursue Gold King Mine spill lawsuit (9/1)
Multiple Capitol Hill hearings set into disaster at Gold King Mine (8/31)
Navajo Nation to reopen irrigation canal after Gold King mine spill (8/28)
EPA releases internal report into Gold King Mine spill disaster (8/27)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee to hold hearing on EPA mine spill (8/26)
Native Sun News: Tribes respond to toxic spill at abandoned mine (8/25)
Navajo Nation remains cautious after spill impacts water system (8/21)
Navajo Nation farmers losing crops amid mine spill concerns (8/18)
Leader of EPA visits Navajo Nation after mine spill in Colorado (8/13)
President of Navajo Nation upset with EPA's response to spill (8/12)
Navajo Leader: 'This is an assault on who we are as Dine people' (8/11)
Navajo Nation to sue EPA over release of mine waste into waters (8/10)