Freshwater VoicesThe Newsletter of Freshwater FutureFreshwater Voices is the newsletter of Freshwater Future, published four times per year. Freshwater Voices is intended to provide a forum for the free exchange of ideas among citizens and organizations working to protect aquatic habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. Volume 17, Number 3 • Summer 2009 Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation Protects Michigan’s WatersMichigan Citizens for Water Conservation settled with Nestlé Waters North America, Inc.’s, reducing the amount of water it can pump for its Ice Mountain bottled water in Mecosta, Michigan on July 6, 2009. Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation and Nestle reached a settlement on the first day of a weeklong hearing scheduled to resolve opposing claims on whether Nestlé’s pumping should be reduced or increased under the criteria of a 2006 injunction order. “Under this modified injunction order, Nestle cannot pump more water from Dead Stream or Thompson Lake” Terry Swier, Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation President said. “This new order completes one of Michigan Citizen for Water Conservation’s goals. Nestle must reduce its pumping earlier in the spring and continue its low pumping rates during the summer months. This will leave more water in the system and should eliminate the more serious impacts to the stream that occur in drier years and summers.” Since the beginning, Freshwater Future was there to help Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation with grants and moral support. Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation won a major victory against Nestle Corporation in 2003 when trial judge Lawrence Root shut down Nestlé’s plan to pump 210 million gallons per year of water for its Michigan bottled water operations. In 2005 the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed a 2003 trial court ruling that Nestlé’s pumping violated Michigan water law and in 2006 agreed to an injunction that allowed Nestlé to pump an average of 218 gallons per minute, as opposed to the 400 gallons per minute originally permitted by the State. The modified injunction order reached by agreement in July will end the almost 9 year dispute and become a final and permanent injunction that reduces Nestlé’s original intended water removal by 50 percent. “This injunction ends the continuing legal battle of MCWC’s struggle to protect Dead Stream, Thompson Lake and wetlands from excessive water extraction,” Swier said. “Now it is time to turn to the task of assuring water remains owned by the public. For more information visit www.savemiwater.org. In It For The Long Haul Environmental wins rarely come quickly. Protecting sensitive areas, removing pollution, or restoring flow requires patience and persistence. It is kind of like running a slow hurdle race, you figure out what hurdle you have to get over and once your over, there is another right in front of you. The first step to keeping it together for the long haul is to find ways to celebrate the smaller wins along the way. Celebrate the progress you make and it will help revitalize energy and provide stamina for your next steps. For over nine years, Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation fought for ground water through the Circuit Court, the Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court. Raising over $1 million to fund the effort, the 2000 members of Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation have accomplished much to protect ground water. It didn’t happen over night and there is more work to be done, but their persistence and tenacity paid off. |
Freshwater Future builds effective community-based citizen action to protect and restore the water quality of the Great Lakes basin. We work toward this goal by providing financial assistance, communications and networking assistance and technical assistance to citizens and grassroots watershed groups throughout the Great Lakes basin. Through these efforts we work with over 1,800 grassroots watershed groups and citizens to protect and restore the rivers, lakes and wetlands in their communities. Freshwater Future is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. For more information, please contact: info@freshwaterfuture.org |