Contempt motion claims Flint missed deadlines for lead pipe replacement | Flint Water Emergency

The Natural Resources Defense Council filed a disclaimer in the Concerned Pastors’ lawsuit, alleging that the City of Flint was slow to replace lead-contaminated water supply lines.

FLINT, Michigan (WJRT) – A contempt lawsuit has been filed against the city of Flint and Mayor Sheldon Neeley alleging that they violated court-ordered deadlines for replacing lead-contaminated water supply lines.

The complaint relates to a February court order. Due to the city’s water crisis, the city had to meet certain milestones to complete the lead pipe replacement.

Plaintiffs include the Natural Resources Defense Council, Concerned Pastors for Social Action, the ACLU of Michigan and Flint activist Melissa Mays.

They say the city missed a key May 1 deadline to fill in the gaps in its restoration tracking and argue the city doesn’t know how many addresses still need repairs to their properties.

The motion, filed in federal court on Friday, calls for the city and Neeley to be fined a daily $500 for contempt of court.

Flint officials say they are completing work on the final 2% of the main umbilical replacement. That’s just over 1,000 addresses of more than 31,000 homes in Flint.

“It is unfortunate that NRDC continues to divert time and resources from Flint residents whose community services would be adversely affected by this financial impact,” Neeley said in response to Friday’s request.

He said city leaders will continue until the project is fully completed.