State House Democrats have sent a letter asking the state auditor to investigate the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s handling of the state’s PFAS problem.
PFAS is a group of man-made chemicals linked to human health problems.
State Rep. Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) hopes the state auditor can find answers.
“Dozens of people from communities affected throughout the state have expressed to me that they are not satisfied from the state and the federal governments and feel that they are not being listened to and they are not getting straight answers,” says Brinks.
The Republican chairman of the House Oversight committee believes it’s premature to bring in the auditor to examine the MDEQ.
“They’re doing their study. We have to let them do their job,” says State Rep. Joseph Graves (R-Linden).
Graves says MDEQ officials have kept him updated on their work with the EPA studying the PFAS problem in Michigan. He expects the EPA will deliver the results of its study by the end of October or the beginning of November.
Graves says it will be several more weeks before the oversight committee could decide whether it’s time to call in the state auditor’s office.
