EPA Must Face Claims It Didn’t Warn of Flint Water Health Risks

The U.S. government isn’t immune from a lawsuit accusing the EPA of failing to timely respond and warn residents of Flint, Mich., about health risks in its water supply, a federal court ruled.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s alleged failure to act in response to the crisis wasn’t grounded in considerations of public policy, and therefore the EPA didn’t demonstrate entitlement to sovereign immunity under the Federal Tort Claims Act, Judge Linda V. Parker of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan said.

The “EPA’s failure to warn Flint residents of the severe health risks the City’s water ...