(WHTM) — Pennsylvania is one of four states facing a lawsuit from the federal government over SNAP applicant data.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed suit against Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Michigan, and Minnesota. They are seeking the last five years of SNAP applicant data in the respective states.

The DOJ alleges that the four states refused to turn over data to the U.S. Department of Agriculture “so that USDA could ensure that states are properly administering and enforcing their determinations of residents’ eligibility.”

“The American people deserve a government that is transparent about how it spends their hard-earned tax dollars,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These four states are thwarting USDA’s efforts to ensure that the billions of dollars in SNAP benefits they distribute every year are not lost to fraud.”

“Stopping the rampant theft of taxpayer money demands a whole-of-government response, including strong participation at the state level,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “These states are happy to take hundreds of millions of federal tax dollars—much of which is exploited by fraudsters—but want zero transparency over how those tax dollars are spent.”

The Department of Justice said 28 states promptly provided data and such indicated “there are billions of dollars per year in SNAP funds going to overpayments and fraud.”

The USDA has been seeking data for the past year or so, leading to a legal battle over concerns about how the data would be used.

With wildfires becoming more frequent in Rhode Island, the state’s stockpile of specialty hoses to battle these blazes is being stretched thin.

Target 12 investigator Tim White got a firsthand look at the condition of the critical firefighting tools in Rhode Island and learned what’s being done to repair or replace them.

Watch the Target 12 exclusive Tuesday at 5 p.m. on WPRI 12.

Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.

Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.

WEST RUTLAND, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – A man has died after he was hit by a car in West Rutland, but police say the vehicle involved has not yet been identified.

According to Vermont State Police, Devin Pierro, 30, of West Rutland, was found dead off Main Street, near its intersection with Whipple Hollow Road and an underpass crossing U.S. Route 4. This was at about 5:25 a.m. on Friday. He reportedly had been walking west when a vehicle driving in the same direction struck him and continued without stopping.

Police say that Pierro was found in the grass off the north side of the road, but all details about the vehicle that reportedly hit him are unknown at this time.

The investigation of the crash is continuing, and anyone who may have information about it can call Cpl. Joseph Duca of Vermont State Police at (802) 773-9101 or joseph.duca@vermont.gov. Tips can also be submitted anonymously at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.