(This story has been updated with new information.)
Blue Water Area officials are weighing on the county health department’s medical director asking communities to voluntarily stop adding fluoride to drinking water.
Port Huron City Manager James Freed said the city plans to continue following federal guidance and criticized how the recommendation was communicated.
“It’s hard to take the medical director seriously when he sends out random press releases, but never actually has a conversation with us,” Freed said. “Seems to me that he just wants to use this issue to peddle his blog and podcast appearances.”
Freed said Dr. Remington Nevin has never contacted Port Huron officials directly about the issue.
“The medical director has never reached out to anyone within our city to discuss this issue. Never once,” Freed said. “We will continue follow EPA guidelines, not what one man thinks the EPA should do or could do one day.”
Clay Township Clerk Tayna Hogan said there has been no discussion on the topic as of March 4.
“With all of our water main projects going on we haven’t been able to sit down and discuss it, especially since this is something that just happened yesterday,” she said. “Good chance it will go in front of our township board.”
Nevin sent a memorandum dated March 2 “outlining recent scientific and federal regulatory developments related to community water fluoridation.”
“The Health Department has previously shared information with local municipalities regarding important regulatory developments related to community water fluoridation. In addition to my having addressed the Port Huron city council directly on this matter last year, I recently discussed these matters directly with Port Huron City Manager James Freed. At that time, I advised him of the general content of the memorandum that Port Huron would be receiving,” Nevin said in a statement March 4.
“In addition to addressing the Port Huron City Council on this topic last year, I have personally addressed a number of local governing bodies across the county. In response, Kimball Township, which receives its water from Port Huron, voted to support a resolution calling on the city to discontinue water fluoridation.
“Our goal has been to make sure local leaders are aware of evolving guidance so they can make informed decisions about their water systems in anticipation of likely regulatory changes.”
Freed disagreed with the nature of the conversation.
“While buying a dog license for my puppy during my lunch break I passed (Nevin) in the hallway and asked if he wanted to have a meeting to discuss fluoride with my water plant staff, its operators and engineers. He told me (a) memo would be coming, never wanted to meet with the science experts who run our water plant of the engineers there.”
He stated in the memorandum it was due to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency being under federal court order to regulate fluoride in drinking water and potential results to lower the recommended level.
The county health advisory board in October supported the recommendation the health department draft local regulations that would prohibit the addition of fluoride to municipal water systems.
According to the Tuesday news release, those draft regulations “are expected to be released soon for public review and comment.”
“Municipalities currently retain sole authority over decisions regarding water fluoridation,” the statement added. “However, in light of anticipated federal and local regulatory changes, the Medical Director is recommending that communities consider voluntarily discontinuing water fluoridation.”
This story will be updated as additional responses from local municipalities become available.
Algonac City Manager Artie Bryson said discussions will be held with Clay Township.
Marysville City Manager Quentin L. Bishop and St. Clair Superintendent Steve Duchane were not immediately available for comment.
Contact reporter Andy Jeffrey at ajeffrey@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Officials debate fluoride in Blue Water Area water
Reporting by Andy Jeffrey and Liz Shepard, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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