Environmental groups and local officials say the fight isn’t over to keep Nestle from putting a new pumping station near Evart, Michigan.
On Monday the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality granted Nestle a permit to increase water withdrawals in Osceola Township from 250 gallons a minute to 400.
Peggy Case is the President for Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation. She said the state should have denied the permits based on a similar 2009 case in Mecosta county.
“The judge ruled that 400 gallons per minute was not sustainable. It was damaging the streams in Mecosta.”
In a written statement announcing their approval of the permit, the MDEQ said it was based on the most extensive analysis of water withdrawals in the state’s history and the department quote “is required to follow the rule of law.”
Case said the MCWC will challenge the state’s permit.
Township officials say they are already in the process of appealing a December court ruling that the township needed to give Nestle a separate permit to build a new pumping station. Nestle will need the pumping station in order to increase its water withdrawals.
Tim Ladd is the Township Supervisor. He said Nestle won’t be able to build the pumping station until the case is resolved.
“I believe that is going to be quite a lengthy process to work through.”
Ladd said the Township has not yet heard from the Michigan Court of Appeals on whether or not their case will be accepted. If the Court of Appeals chooses not to take the case Ladd said the Township will ask the Michigan Supreme Court to look at it.
Nestle did not immediately respond to our request for comment.