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New EPA Administrator works to rebuild trust in Flint

City of Flint 1955 Sign with Citizens Bank Weather Ball by Michigan Municipal League (MML) is licensed with CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

The new administrator of the federal Environmental Protection Agency was in Flint today in part to address the agency’s battered image in the community.

Michael Regan toured a community lab where young people test the quality of water samples.  

The lab was set up after people in Flint grew mistrustful of claims of government agencies, including the EPA, that their lead tainted water was safe to drink.

It took local health officials and independent scientists to prove the lead exposure was happening.   

Regan says transparency is important in winning back trust.

“We’re open to oversight by Congress. We’re open to oversight by all of our state partners.  We’re open to oversight by community members.”

Regan says President Biden is committed to removing the nation’s lead service lines.