Congressman Dan Kildee spoke about water issues Friday at Central Michigan University’s 5th Great Lakes Science in Action Symposium.
Among other things, Kildee expressed concerns about the role of race and poverty playing in how the government views environmental contamination.
Congressman Kildee outlined a number of water issues in the Great Lakes region: from invasive Grass Carp in Lake Eerie to growing concern about Perfluoroalkyl substances, a family of chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other health problems in humans.
The Congressman noted his frustration about different responses to the lead crisis in Flint and PFAs contamination in Parchment, Michigan - which has fewer low-income minority households. He pointed out that in Parchment drinking water standards for PFAs are not being exceeded.
“That community continues to receive bottled water. As soon as the levels in Flint were within the acceptable range the bottled water was eliminated for the people of Flint.”
The congressman later expanded on those comments saying that he thinks poor, majority-minority communities are subconsciously treated differently by policymakers.
Kildee called that “unacceptable.”
But, Kildee said, research is essential to arm citizens with the information they need.
“The story of Flint with lead is a story of a community that once they were armed with the knowledge of what was taking place would not accept the story they were being told. Because they had information that allowed them to protect themselves.”
Kildee said research should help inform legislative responses to invasive species and chemical contamination.
During a Q&A session following Kildee’s speech an audience member asked Kildee why there is strong bipartisan congressional support for the Great Lakes - but not around policies related to climate change. Kildee said the difference is that the benefits of supporting the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - for instance - could be felt immediately.
“I think that’s where it falls apart. The stress between policy that we know intellectually is better policy but in the short term doesn’t necessarily give us the return that we would like.”
Kildee said the benefits of climate change policy would take a long time to show results and that makes it difficult to enact.
But, he said, he’s grateful for the bipartisan support around the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.