A state judge has given the final stamp of approval on a $600 million settlement over the Flint Water Crisis.
On Tuesday (March 21), the state Attorney General’s office announced that a Genesee County judge formally approved the settlement nearly nine years after the Flint Water Crisis began, per The Hill.
It is the biggest civil settlement in Michigan history and includes $600 million from the state, $20 million from the city, $5 million from McLaren Regional Medical Center, and $1.5 million from Rowe Professional Services.
“This historic settlement cannot undo the unimaginable hardship and heartbreaking health effects these families and children in Flint have endured,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said. “This ruling provides families with much-needed compensation for the injuries they have suffered. I am proud of my team’s tireless work on behalf of the people of Flint.”
According to officials, roughly 80 percent of the settlement will mull over claims of minors who were exposed to the Flint River water. 2 percent will go towards special education services, and 18 percent is set to be allocated to claims of adults and property damage.
The state judge’s approval of the groundbreaking settlement comes after a federal judge preliminarily approved it in January 2021.
In 2014, state officials allowed the predominantly-Black city to switch its drinking water source to the Flint River, which led to mass exposure to lead-contaminated water. The switch also led to a Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak that left 12 people dead.
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