Governor Rick Snyder has asked President Obama to declare a federal emergency to deal with Flint's water crisis which resulted from high lead levels in the water system. The request was announced late Thursday night. The governor says he's requesting the supplementary federal aid to protect residents' health and safety. If the state is granted the aid, the help could come in the form of grants for temporary housing and home repairs along with low-interest loans to cover uninsured property for people and businesses. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will now review the request and advise the President whether the disaster declaration should be granted. The final decision rests with President Obama. The crisis is traced to when the city switched water sources in April of 2014. That resulted in elevated blood lead levels in some young Flint residents.
