Round up theusual, white male, and rich suspects....\
Infrastructure commission to assess statewide needs Jonathan Oosting, Detroit
News Lansing Bureau Lansing ' Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder issued an executive
order Thursday to create the '21st Century Infrastructure Commission,' a
27-member body inspired by the Flint contaminated water crisis. The commission
will be comprised of industry and government experts tasked with assessing and
prioritizing infrastructure needs across the state, including underground
water and sewerage systems, transportation, energy and communications networks.
Snyder proposed the commission in his January State of the State address,
saying the Flint drinking water crisis highlighted the need for a long-term
plan to address aging infrastructure throughout the state. 'As we look forward,
Michigan is poised to be a leader in both the automotive and cyber security
industries, so it is essential we modernize and maintain our infrastructure
to match those goals,' Snyder said Thursday in a statement. The commission will
be tasked with providing a report to the governor and state Legislature
by Nov. 30. Members will not be paid but may be reimbursed for travel. Snyder
will appoint 15 members to the commission, legislative leaders will appoint
four members and the directors of various state departments and agencies will
appoint eight others. The commission will not focus exclusively on Flint,
where harsh river water damaged aging pipes that leached lead into the city's
drinking water. The state recently awarded a $500,000 no-bid contract to
a Flint firm to assess the Flint water system and do a sample replacement of 30
lead service lines. Mayor Karen Weaver has launched her own 'Fast-Start'
programs to replace lead pipes in Flint but is still seeking state or federal
funding to cover a portion of the estimated $55 million cost.
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