“LANSING, MI — As residents in his district grapple with the possibility of toxic chemicals in their water, State Rep. Chris Afendoulis, R-Grand Rapids Township, is calling for Gov. Rick Snyder to put more money into the investigation.
Wednesday, Feb. 7, Snyder unveiled his budget proposal for the 2019 fiscal year that starts in October. It included $8 million to address a growing water contamination problem in the state due to chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
That’s in addition to $23.2 million the state appropriated in late 2017 to address PFAS, which provides for 15 additional full-time equivalent state employees, along with money for PFAS response activities, remediation, local public health and laboratory equipment.
Afendoulis was critical of the $8 million Snyder earmarked for 2019, but didn’t have a figure that he would consider to be more appropriate…
Groundwater contamination from PFAS has been found at 28 sites in 14 communities across Michigan, according to the Department of Environmental Quality. That includes a Wolverine World Wide tannery waste disposal site north of Grand Rapids, which has contaminated the drinking water wells for hundreds of homes — many of which are in Afendoulis’ district.
Also Tuesday in Lansing, the House Natural Resources Committee heard testimony on a resolution from State Rep. Mary Whiteford, R-Casco Township, that would guide the spending of the $23.2 million allocated to PFAS.
The resolution calls for the state to draft a non-biased, scientific risk assessment of PFAS and the creation of a scientific advisory committee made of experts.”
Read the full article by Amy Biolchini.