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Judge orders township to give Nestle a permit

Tim Stahmer
/
https://flic.kr/p/eHK1XM

Osceola Township will be required to issue a permit to Nestle Waters for a pumping station.

A judge ruled last week that the township didn’t have grounds for denying the company a permit.

Representatives for Nestle say they are pleased with the Judge’s decision. Approval for the pumping station brings Nestle one step closer to increasing the amount of water it withdraws from Osceola Township.

Nestle is still waiting to hear back on its request for a permit application from the state to increase water withdrawals from 250 to 400 gallons per minute.

Peggy Chase is with Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation, which opposes the decision. She said the township should be allowed to reject Nestle’s permit.

“I’m not happy about it at all. I think it’s outrageous that the township is not allowed to follow its own zoning rules and deny Nestle the right to pump more water out of their springs. I’m not happy. Neither is the township.”

Chase said an analysis conducted by the Conservation group shows Nestle is having a negative impact on the region.

“For right now it’s pretty clear. There has been damage already. People who live along the stream have noticed some significant differences in the way the streams are flowing.”

In a written statement representatives for Nestle said the company quote “value(s) our relationship with Township residents and (we) always strive to create shared value within the communities where we operate.”

Representatives also said that data collected by their scientists “does not show any declining changes in stream flows or levels related to our groundwater withdrawal”

You can read their full statement below:

Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) is pleased that the Circuit Court has decided that our request for a permit to build a small, 12-foot by 22-foot building to house a booster pump in Osceola Township is valid and has ordered the Township to issue the zoning permit. The booster pump would increase pressure along a pipeline to transport additional water, should the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) approve our application for increased withdrawal capacity at the White Pine Springs well. As background on this issue, we disagreed with the decision by the Osceola Township Planning Commission to deny our request for a permit, and by the tie vote of the Osceola Township Zoning Board of Appeals to let that denial stand. We firmly believe the plan we proposed met the Township’s zoning ordinance. Of all our options, we believe the booster station will be the most efficient and environmentally friendly. We are sensitive to local government's incurrence of legal expenses in this appeal, and that is why we offered to delay this action, but that offer was unfortunately refused. Nestlé Waters has worked to be a good neighbor to Osceola Township for over 15 years. We value our relationships with Township residents and community leaders, and always strive to create shared value within the communities where we operate. In the two-county area of Osceola and Mecosta Counties alone, our local economic contribution supports nearly 200 jobs and $13.2 million in economic output. We are the 9th largest employer in the Osceola and Mecosta County region. In addition, our company pays nearly $1.6 million in state and local taxes, including $781,000 in property taxes in Osceola and Mecosta Counties.

In response to allegations that streams have been impacted by water withdrawals, Nestle representatives released the following statement.

Nestlé Waters North America’s pending application before the MDEQ is based on more than 15 years of extensive studies and regular monitoring of groundwater, surface water and the local ecosystem. We are confident in the expertise of the professional scientists – both from inside and outside the company – who collect and evaluate the data. In support of our application, we have provided an unprecedented amount of data to the State of Michigan, along with local stakeholders and Township officials. We have more than 100 environmental monitoring sites and have conducted numerous scientific assessments near the White Pine Springs well alone. This data does not show any declining changes in stream flows or levels related to our groundwater withdrawal, and is available online at:http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,4561,7-135-3313-399187--,00.html

Nestlé Waters North America has a deep commitment to Michigan, its people and the natural resources we share. We have made a long-term investment in Michigan, creating jobs and supporting community needs while taking great care to operate in a responsible and sustainable way to protect our shared water sources and the surrounding environment. We understand our responsibility to manage spring sources and the watersheds that supply them. We manage our spring water sources not just for today, but for generations to come. For us, water is not only essential for life, but it is also the foundation of our company and the basis of our business.