The Feds Just Got Sued for Letting Nestlé Bottle Water in California’s Drought Country

[KamaAina]

http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2015/10/nestle-lawsuit-arrowhead

A group of environmental organizations sued the US Forest Service on Tuesday, claiming that it allowed Nestlé to illegally divert millions of gallons of water from California's San Bernadino National Forest to use for Arrowhead brand bottled water while the state struggles through a historic drought.

Nestlé has had rights to bottle water from the forest's Strawberry Creek for decades, but a Desert Sun investigation in March of this year found that the company's permit to use a four-mile pipeline that transports the water to the bottling plant expired in 1988. A month later, the agency announced it was investigating the permit.
Other popular bottled water brands like Aquafina and Dasani also source from catastrophically dry regions.

The plaintiffs—the Center for Biological Diversity, the Story of Stuff Project, and the Courage Campaign Institute—are calling on the Forest Service to shut down use of the pipeline and conduct an environmental review immediately. They contend that the Forest Service is breaking its own policies by allowing the bottling operation to continue, as the siphoning of water from the already depleted water source is harming local habitats and wildlife.

"Recent reports have indicated that water levels at Strawberry Creek are at record lows," said the plaintiffs in a statement yesterday. "In exchange for allowing Nestlé to continue siphoning water from the Creek, the Forest Service receives just $524 a year, less than the average Californian's water bill."

[Galileo126]

1. I hope they seek back compensation!

At current water rates, back to 1988.

[chapdrum]

2. Finally...a good start, but

Nestle' is (of course, aren't they all?) is very deep-pocketed.

For whatever good it might do, to show support for the suit, here is Jerry Brown's office #: [phone].

Some pertinent background: In British Columbia, per the Council of Canadians, Nestle' pays that province $2.25 (two dollars & twenty-five cents) for each one million litres of water it draws.

One million litres equals 264,172 gallons.

Have not been able to find out (from Brown's office) what Nestle' is paying to draw from California, but am going out on a limb to guess that it is getting a similar sweetheart deal from Calif.

Prediction: When the spot water shortages eventually begin, Brown and/or politicians will reassure the people that despite not having water at home 24/7, there is plenty of bottled water available at the supermarket, much of it bearing the Nestle' brands Arrowhead and Pure Life.

[99th_Monkey]

3. Nestle's water-grabbing over-reach should be criminal, not marijuana or whistle-blowing. nt

[olddots]

4. they could be the most evil corporation in the world

years of experience in destruction .

[Baitball Blogger]

5. Really, what were the Feds thinking?

Stupidest theft of natural resources, ever.

[malokvale77]

6. GOOD!

The stealing of the public resources has to stop.

This is going on in Texas (and all the states) as well.

It's not just water. Water is just the most important at this time.