Flint River Flood Mitigation Alternatives Saginaw County, Michigan

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Flint River Flood Mitigation Alternatives Saginaw County, Michigan Draft Environmental Assessment Flint River Flood Mitigation Alternatives Saginaw County, Michigan Flint River Erosion Control Board FEMA-DR-1346-MI, HMGP Project No. A1346.53 April 2006 U.S. Department of Homeland Security FEMA Region V 536 South Clark Street, Sixth Floor Chicago, IL 60605 This document was prepared by URS Group, Inc. 200 Orchard Ridge Drive, Suite 101 Gaithersburg, MD 20878 Contract No. EMW-2000-CO-0246, Task Order No. 138. Job No. 15292488.00100 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................................ iii Section 1 ONE Introduction........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Project Authority..........................................................................................1 1.2 Project Location and Setting........................................................................1 1.3 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................2 Section 2 TWO Alternative Analysis .......................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Alternative 1 – No Action Alternative.........................................................3 2.2 Alternative 2 – Dike Reconstruction and Reservoir Construction (Proposed Action) ........................................................................................3 2.2.1 Project Segment 1 ............................................................................4 2.2.2 Project Segment 2 ............................................................................4 2.2.3 Project Segment 3 ............................................................................4 2.2.4 Project Segment 4 ............................................................................5 2.2.5 Project Segment 5 ............................................................................5 2.2.6 Project Segment 6 ............................................................................5 2.2.7 Project Segment 7 ............................................................................6 2.3 Alternative 3 – Elevation, Relocation, or Acquisition of Flood- Prone Structures...........................................................................................6 2.4 Alternatives Considered and Dismissed ......................................................6 Section 3 THREE Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences............................................ 8 3.1 Physical Environment ..................................................................................8 3.1.1 Geology, Seismicity and Soils .........................................................8 3.1.2 Water Resources and Water Quality..............................................10 3.1.3 Floodplain Management (Executive Order 11988) .......................12 3.1.4 Air Quality.....................................................................................14 3.2 Biological Environment.............................................................................15 3.2.1 Terrestrial and Aquatic Environment.............................................15 3.2.2 Wetlands (Executive Order 11990) ...............................................17 3.2.3 Threatened and Endangered Species .............................................19 3.3 Hazardous Materials..................................................................................20 3.4 Socioeconomics .........................................................................................21 3.4.1 Zoning and Land Use.....................................................................21 3.4.2 Visual Resources............................................................................22 3.4.3 Noise ..............................................................................................23 3.4.4 Public Services and Utilities ..........................................................25 3.4.5 Traffic and Circulation...................................................................26 3.4.6 Environmental Justice (Executive Order 12898)...........................26 3.4.7 Safety and Security ........................................................................28 3.5 Cultural Resources.....................................................................................28 3.5.1 Historic Resources.........................................................................29 3.5.2 Archaeological Resources..............................................................30 P:\GAITHERSBURG\89-FEMA4138.00\REPORTS\DRAFT\100.53\PUBLIC DRAFT EA\PUBLIC DRAFT.FLINT RIVER EA_04.12.06.DOC\24-APR-06\\ i TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.5.3 Indian Religious Sites Investigation ..............................................32 3.6 Impact Summary Matrix............................................................................32 Section 4 FOUR Cumulative Impacts......................................................................................................... 37 Section 5 FIVE Public Participation......................................................................................................... 38 Section 6 SIX Mitigation Measures and Permits................................................................................... 39 Section 7 SEVEN Consultations and References....................................................................................... 43 Section 8 EIGHT List of Preparers..............................................................................................................47 Appendices Appendix A Figures Appendix B Agency Correspondence Appendix C “Flooded with Sewage,” from The Flint Journal, February 20, 2001 Appendix D EO 11988 Floodplain Management & EO 11990 Wetland Protection: Eight-Step Planning Process Appendix E Public Involvement List of Tables Table 1 Heavy Equipment Noise Levels at 50 Feet............................................................24 Table 2 Historic Resources Located within Spaulding and Taymouth Townships ............29 Table 3 Summary of Archeological Phase I, II, and III Investigations ..............................30 Table 4 Impact Summary Matrix........................................................................................33 Table 5 Mitigation Measures ..............................................................................................39 Table 6 Permit Requirements..............................................................................................42 P:\GAITHERSBURG\89-FEMA4138.00\REPORTS\DRAFT\100.53\PUBLIC DRAFT EA\PUBLIC DRAFT.FLINT RIVER EA_04.12.06.DOC\24-APR-06\\ ii List of Acronyms APE Area of Potential Effect BMPs Best Management Practices CEQ Council of Environmental Quality CFR Code of Federal Regulations CMP corrugated metal pipe CO Carbon Monoxide CSO combined sewer overflow CWA Clean Water Act CY cubic yards dB decibels dBA A-weighted sound levels EA Environmental Assessment EDR Environmental Data Resources EIS Environmental Impact Statement EO Executive Order EPA Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FIRM Flood Insurance Rate Map FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact FPPA Farmland Protection Policy Act FRFCP Flint River Flood Control Project HMGP Hazard Mitigation Grant Program HUC hydrologic unit code LF linear feet Lp sound pressure level MDEQ Michigan Department of Environmental Quality MDNR Michigan Department of Natural Resources NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards NCA Noise Control Act NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NFIP National Flood Insurance Program NGVD National Geodetic Vertical Datum NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NO2 Nitrogen Dioxide NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service NREPA Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act NRHP National Register of Historic Places NWI National Wetlands Inventory O3 Ozone OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration P:\GAITHERSBURG\89-FEMA4138.00\REPORTS\DRAFT\100.53\PUBLIC DRAFT EA\PUBLIC DRAFT.FLINT RIVER EA_04.12.06.DOC\24-APR-06\\ iii List of Acronyms Pb Lead P.L. Public Law PM-10 Particulate Matter with a diameter less than or equal to 10 microns RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ROW Right-of-Way SHPO State Historic Preservation Officer SO2 Sulfur Dioxide TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service USGS United States Geological Survey V:H Vertical:Horizontal VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds WQS Water Quality Standards P:\GAITHERSBURG\89-FEMA4138.00\REPORTS\DRAFT\100.53\PUBLIC DRAFT EA\PUBLIC DRAFT.FLINT RIVER EA_04.12.06.DOC\24-APR-06\\ iv SECTION ONE Introduction 1. Section 1 ONE Introduction 1.1 PROJECT AUTHORITY Severe storms and flooding occurred on September 10 and 11, 2000 in the State of Michigan, leading the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to issue a Federal disaster declaration, DR-1346-MI, on October 17, 2000. Under this declaration, Oakland and Wayne Counties became eligible for Individual Assistance, and all counties within the State became eligible for funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The Flint River Erosion Control Board (Applicant) in Saginaw County, Michigan, applied for HMGP Section 404 funding under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Grant funds are provided by
Recommended publications
  • 2008 and 2013 Flint River Watershed Biosurvey Monitoring Report
    MI/DEQ/WRD-17/009 MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WATER RESOURCES DIVISION APRIL 2017 STAFF REPORT A BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE FLINT RIVER AND SELECTED TRIBUTARIES IN GENESEE, LAPEER, OAKLAND, SANILAC, SAGINAW, SHIAWASSEE, AND TUSCOLA COUNTIES JUNE-SEPTEMBER 2008 AND 2013 Qualitative biological sampling of the Flint River watershed was conducted by staff of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), Surface Water Assessment Section (SWAS), from June-September of both 2008 and 2013 as part of a five-year watershed monitoring cycle. The Flint River watershed is a vast watershed that falls within two ecoregions: the Southern Michigan Northern Indiana Till Plain and Huron and Lake Erie Till Plain ecoregions (Omernik and Gallant, 1988). Land use in the Flint River watershed is predominantly agriculture and forested with portions also being urban. The Flint River is a major tributary to the Saginaw River/Bay ecosystem. OBJECTIVES These biological surveys were conducted to: • Assess the current status condition of individual waters to determine attainment of Michigan Water Quality Standards (WQS). • Evaluate potential impacts from National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)-regulated sources to water quality in the watersheds. • Identify potential nonpoint sources (NPS) of water quality impairment. • Satisfy monitoring request submitted by internal and external customers. The locations of the surveyed biological stations are illustrated in Figures 1a (2008) and 1b (2013) and Tables 1a (2008) and 1b (2013). For the 2008 data, detailed macroinvertebrate, fish, and habitat sampling results are provided in Tables 2a and 2b, 3a and 3b, and 4, respectively. Water (14 locations) and sediment (2 locations) chemistry samples were collected during the 2008 watershed assessment; locations and results can be found in Tables 5 and 6.
    [Show full text]
  • Point Source Water Contamination Module Was Originally Published in 2003 by the Advanced Technology Environmental and Energy Center (ATEEC)
    From the POINT SOURCE Technology and Environmental Decision-Making WATER Series CONTAMINATION This 2017 version of the Point Source Water Contamination module was originally published in 2003 by the Advanced Technology Environmental and Energy Center (ATEEC). The module, part of the series Technology and Environmental Decision-Making: A critical-thinking approach to 7 environmental challenges, was initially developed by ATEEC and the Laboratory for Energy and Environment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and funded by the National Science Foundation. The ATEEC project team has updated this version of the module and gratefully acknowledges the past and present contributions, assistance, and thoughtful critiques of this material provided by authors, content experts, and reviewers. These contributors do not, however, necessarily approve, disapprove, or endorse these modules. Any errors in the modules are the responsibility of ATEEC. Authors: Melonee Docherty, ATEEC Michael Beck, ATEEC Editor: Glo Hanne, ATEEC Copyright 2017, ATEEC This project was supported, in part, by the Advanced Technological Education Program at the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE #1204958. The information provided in this instructional material does not necessarily represent NSF policy. Cover image: Ground water monitoring wells, Cape Cod, MA. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey. Additional copies of this module can be downloaded from the ATEEC website. i Point Source Water Contamination Corroded pipes from Flint’s water distribution system.
    [Show full text]
  • Saginaw River/Bay Fish & Wildlife Habitat BUI Removal Documentation
    UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 5 77 WEST JACKSON BOULEVARD CHICAGO, IL 60604-3590 6 MAY 2014 REPLY TO THE ATTENTION OF Mr. Roger Eberhardt Acting Deputy Director, Office of the Great Lakes Michigan Department of Environmental Quality 525 West Allegan P.O. Box 30473 Lansing, Michigan 48909-7773 Dear Roger: Thank you for your February 6, 2014, request to remove the "Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat" Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) from the Saginaw River/Bay Area of Concern (AOC) in Michigan, As you know, we share your desire to restore all of the Great Lakes AOCs and to formally delist them. Based upon a review of your submittal and the supporting data, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hereby approves your BUI removal request for the Saginaw River/Bay AOC, EPA will notify the International Joint Commission of this significant positive environmental change at this AOC. We congratulate you and your staff, as well as the many federal, state, and local partners who have worked so hard and been instrumental in achieving this important environmental improvement. Removal of this BUI will benefit not only the people who live and work in the Saginaw River/Bay AOC, but all the residents of Michigan and the Great Lakes basin as well. We look forward to the continuation of this important and productive relationship with your agency and the local coordinating committee as we work together to fully restore all of Michigan's AOCs. If you have any further questions, please contact me at (312) 353-4891, or your staff may contact John Perrecone, at (312) 353-1149.
    [Show full text]
  • Flint River GREEN Notebook Table of Contents Section One - Introduction to Flint River GREEN
    Flint River GREEN www.FlintRiver.org Flint River GREEN Notebook Table of Contents Section One - Introduction to Flint River GREEN a. FRWC b. GREEN c. Earth Force d. MSU Extension; 4-H Youth Development e. School Administration Letter (Phase II & Participant Appreciation) f. Flint River GREEN Objectives Section Two – Information for Mentors a. Who are mentors? b. Timeline for Teachers and Mentor Interactions c. Importance of Mentors d. Inquiry Training e. How to talk to youth f. Sample Presentations for Mentors Section Three – BEFORE River Activities a. Curriculum Benchmarks and Standards i. 8th Grade Earth Science Standards ii. 10th Grade Biology Standards b. Incorporating Other Teachers iii. Civic Engagement: Social Studies, Language Arts iv. Technology: Media Support, Presentations v. Sharing Testing: Chemistry, Mathematics c. Ordering Materials vi. Shelf Life of Chemicals vii. Disposal of Old Chemicals d. Inquiry Training: Why is the Data Important viii. How Can the Information Be Used ix. Who Is Currently Interested in the Data e. Selecting A Testing Site / Finding A Good Fit f. Preparing Kids for the Day at the River x. Attire Flint River GREEN www.FlintRiver.org xi. Who Does Which Test g. Run Through the Tests h. Looking at Historical Data i. Permission Slip/Photo releases j. Notifying the media and elected officials xii. Sample Press Release k. Optional Activities xiii. Model Watershed Activity xiv. Watershed Planning – Desired & Designated Uses xv. ELUCID – Flint River Watershed by MSU Institute of Water Research Section Four – Day At the River a. Deciding Who Goes to the River b. Checklist for Things to Take Out to the River c.
    [Show full text]
  • Water Quality Indicators
    SECTION 4 - WATER QUALITY INDICATORS RIVERINE HABITAT STUDIES Fisheries Studies The original fish communities of the Great Lakes region are of recent origin. Melt water from the Wisconsinan glacier created aquatic environments for fish. Original fish gained access through migration from connecting waterways. A description of the fish community in the Flint River Watershed at the time of European settlement (early 1800’s) is not available. However anecdotal accounts of the time mention several species. Surveys on the Flint River and several tributaries in 1927 provide a reasonable account for additional indigenous fish species (MDNR, Fishery Division). Seventy-seven species are believed to indigenous to the Flint River Watershed. The Original fish habitat of the Flint River watershed has been greatly altered by human settlement. The 1900’s gave rise to the industrial era and the urbanization of the Flint River watershed. City’s and towns located near the river became more developed as their population increased. The discharge of human wastes and synthetic pollutants into the river degraded water quality to the extent that only the most tolerant fish species could survive. Dams were built for flood control, flow augmentation, and water supply to municipalities and industry. The biologic communities in the Flint River and its tributaries have improved significantly since the 1970’s with water quality improvements. Continued efforts to improve water quality will most probably result in greater biological integrity and diversity. Although 77 species of fish remain present, at least 5 fish species that once used the Flint River for spawning (lake sturgeon, muskellunge, lake trout, lake herring, lake whitefish) are believed extirpated from the river.
    [Show full text]
  • Flint Fights Back, Environmental Justice And
    Thank you for your purchase of Flint Fights Back. We bet you can’t wait to get reading! By purchasing this book through The MIT Press, you are given special privileges that you don’t typically get through in-device purchases. For instance, we don’t lock you down to any one device, so if you want to read it on another device you own, please feel free to do so! This book belongs to: [email protected] With that being said, this book is yours to read and it’s registered to you alone — see how we’ve embedded your email address to it? This message serves as a reminder that transferring digital files such as this book to third parties is prohibited by international copyright law. We hope you enjoy your new book! Flint Fights Back Urban and Industrial Environments Series editor: Robert Gottlieb, Henry R. Luce Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy, Occidental College For a complete list of books published in this series, please see the back of the book. Flint Fights Back Environmental Justice and Democracy in the Flint Water Crisis Benjamin J. Pauli The MIT Press Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England © 2019 Massachusetts Institute of Technology All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the publisher. This book was set in Stone Serif by Westchester Publishing Services. Printed and bound in the United States of America. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Pauli, Benjamin J., author.
    [Show full text]
  • South Branch Flint River Watershed Management Plan
    Appendix 1 Local Land Use Analysis 1 Historic Land Use The following history of land use in the Flint River Watershed was described by Joe Leonardi in 2001: Prior to European settlement vegetation consisted of open forests and savannas of black and white oak on the sandy loam moraines and beech-sugar maple forests with some white oak on the clay-rich soils (Albert 1994). Depressions supported alder and conifer swamps with white pine, white cedar, tamarack, black ash, and eastern hemlock. (Leonardi) When the first European explorers arrived in the Saginaw Valley, they found it populated by Chippewa and Ottawa Indians, with the Chippewas being more numerous (Ellis 1879). However, Chippewa history tells that when they came into the area the Sauks and Onottoways inhabited the valley. When early French fur traders moved into the Flint River Valley, they established an encampment at a natural river crossing used by Native Americans. The Indian name for this river was Pewonigowink meaning "river of fire stone" or river of flint. The crossing was located on the "southern bend" of the Flint River on the “Saginaw Trail” that ran between villages at the outlet of Lake St. Clair (Detroit) and encampments at the mouth of the Saginaw River. It was located very near the mouth of the Swartz Creek. This crossing became known as the “Grand Traverse” or great crossing place. A permanent trading post was established when Jacob Smith arrived in 1819 (Crowe 1945). The City of Flint grew up at the site of the “Grand Traverse” and European settlers concentrated along the banks of the Flint River, taking up farming, lumbering, and manufacturing.
    [Show full text]
  • Advances in Agricultural Drainage
    2 Shiawassee Conservation District Annual Report • Sunday, February 18, 2018 Shiawassee Conservation District Annual Report • Sunday, February 18, 2018 3 Controlled drainage, or drainage water management, Advances in uses a control structure to manage the level of water above the tile line. The control structure is placed close Agricultural Drainage to the outlet and water levels are controlled by adding Drainage has been part of U.S. agriculture since co- or removing “stop logs” or by the use of flow valves. lonial times, but it expanded to a broad scale when A field is typically divided into “drainage management Europeans settled the Midwest. At that time, large zones,” each managed by one control structure. Ideally, proportions of Michigan were swampland unsuited for the field should be flat (generally less than 0.5 percent normal cultivation. Most of the drainage occurred in slope) so that one structure can manage the water table the late 1800s and early 1900s. within 1 to 2 feet for as many acres as possible. If drain- The purpose of drainage is to remove excess water age laterals are installed on the contour, the practice and lower the water table. This creates a well-aerated could be used with greater slopes, but flatter fields re- environment for roots and soil organisms. Drainage al- quire fewer overall structures and allow each structure lows earlier warming of soil in the spring, and earlier to manage a larger area. traffic on fields. Installation of drainage tiles can have Drainage water management can be helpful for keep- a rapid and large return on the capital investment, by ing nutrients in the field by limiting runoff of subsur- substantially improving productivity.
    [Show full text]
  • (PFAS) in the Saginaw River Watershed: Surface Water Sampling October 2019
    Investigation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the Saginaw River Watershed: Surface Water Sampling October 2019 Perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a very large class of man-made organic chemicals that have been used in numerous industrial processes and consumer products for over 60 years. Validated analytical methods are available for relatively few of the thousands of compounds. Much of the environmental monitoring of PFAS in Michigan has focused on measuring only perfluorinated chemicals. Many PFAS are persistent, some bioaccumulate in the environment, and several are toxic to mammals and/or birds in laboratory tests. The toxicities of most PFAS have not been evaluated. Two perfluorinated compounds; perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), have been the subject of the most toxicological work and environmental monitoring. Both compounds were manufactured intentionally, but they can also be generated as byproducts when other fluorinated compounds break down. In addition, several PFAS are key ingredients in fire-fighting foams. These foams have been used extensively in fire training exercises at military bases nation-wide; in recent years PFAS have been detected in surface and groundwater near many military facilities. Many products containing PFAS are used in numerous industrial processes including metal plating, textile production and treatment, and specialty paper production. Industrial and domestic waste containing these compounds can enter the environment through municipal or private waste treatment systems, stormwater runoff, venting groundwater, or as deposition after emissions into the atmosphere. Both PFOS and PFOA have been measured in surface waters across the state, and PFOS has been detected in most fish tissue samples from Michigan waters that have been analyzed for PFAS.
    [Show full text]
  • Something in the Pipe: Flint Water Crisis and Health at Birth
    DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES IZA DP No. 12115 Something in the Pipe: Flint Water Crisis and Health at Birth Rui Wang Xi Chen Xun Li JANUARY 2019 DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES IZA DP No. 12115 Something in the Pipe: Flint Water Crisis and Health at Birth Rui Wang Tulane University Xi Chen Yale University and IZA Xun Li Wuhan University JANUARY 2019 Any opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and not those of IZA. Research published in this series may include views on policy, but IZA takes no institutional policy positions. The IZA research network is committed to the IZA Guiding Principles of Research Integrity. The IZA Institute of Labor Economics is an independent economic research institute that conducts research in labor economics and offers evidence-based policy advice on labor market issues. Supported by the Deutsche Post Foundation, IZA runs the world’s largest network of economists, whose research aims to provide answers to the global labor market challenges of our time. Our key objective is to build bridges between academic research, policymakers and society. IZA Discussion Papers often represent preliminary work and are circulated to encourage discussion. Citation of such a paper should account for its provisional character. A revised version may be available directly from the author. IZA – Institute of Labor Economics Schaumburg-Lippe-Straße 5–9 Phone: +49-228-3894-0 53113 Bonn, Germany Email: [email protected] www.iza.org IZA DP No. 12115 JANUARY 2019 ABSTRACT Something in the Pipe: Flint Water Crisis and Health at Birth Flint changed its public water source in 2014, causing severe water contamination.
    [Show full text]
  • CHEVY COMMONS 300 North Chevrolet Avenue Flint, Michigan Chevy Commons Design Plan
    CHEVY COMMONS 300 North Chevrolet Avenue Flint, Michigan Chevy Commons Design Plan The 60-acre historic automotive manufacturing site is undergoing transformation from a fenced, abandoned brownfield into an urban park. Located in downtown Flint and connected to regional non-motorized trails, the restored property includes open grasslands, woodlands, walking trails, and views of the Flint River. SITE CHARACTERISTICS AND HISTORY with trails, parking, and native vegetation. Kettering Car manufacturing began here in 1904. The plant was University will use 20 acres of the former manufacturing one of two General Motors body-stamping factories. In complex as a student automotive research test track. 1936, to protest low wages and harsh working FUNDING AND INCENTIVES conditions, the new United Auto Workers union called a $2,850,000 USEPA Revolving Loan Cleanup Funding sit-down strike against GM. The 44-day strike resulted in $4,000,000 USEPA Removal Action and Site Specific GM’s recognition of the UAW, a union-GM contract, and Grant (GM Bankruptcy Settlement Funds) wage increases and benefits for workers. The strike was $1,225,000 U.S. Forest Service – USEPA Great Lakes a key event in unionization, making this a significant site Restoration Initiative Grant in Michigan’s automotive history. The factory closed in $3,250,000 DEQ Surface Water Quality Initiative Fund the 1990s and buildings were eventually demolished. $550,000 Local match and support ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND REMEDIATION OUTCOMES Its industrial past left the property contaminated. 24 of 60 acres redeveloped to date Abandoned factory floors and paved surfaces will be Local strategic plans implemented buried under a protective cap to isolate subsurface Safe environment for public use with trail connections contamination, limit the movement of water, and protect and river access people and wildlife.
    [Show full text]
  • The Flint Water Crisis: a Case Study on Flint, Causes of the City’S Downfall, and the Need for New American Infrastructure
    The Flint Water Crisis: A Case Study on Flint, Causes of the City’s Downfall, and the Need for New American Infrastructure by Samir Qattea A thesis presented to the Honors College of Middle Tennessee State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation from the University Honors College Fall 2019 To the people of the world, who changed my mind. To my friends, who filled my life. To my family, who provided everything along the way. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is primarily the result of the collective efforts Dr. Daniel Smith, who was my thesis advisor for the entirety of this research, and myself. For his generous guidance, critical scrutiny, and analytical advice, I must extend my most sincere gratitude to him. He has consistently provided me with the resources necessary to bolster the strength of the research herein, while simultaneously pointing out where improvements should be made. His contributions to this project have served as a cornerstone for refining many components of it. And for that, I am immensely grateful. Also, I would like to thank my family for providing me with the support and confidence to complete this project. I would not be the same person without all of you. Lastly, but certainly not least, I would like to thank the many fellow members of the Honors College, both staff members and students, for collaborating with me in reading and revising this project. The level of support allocated by this phenomenal collection of individuals has been unparalleled in my academic experience. Thank you all so much. ii ABSTRACT This research project is an investigation of the central causes that led to the condition of the city of Flint, Michigan, as of 2019.
    [Show full text]