On the first day of an intended year-long test to see if Cascade Locks well water was suitable for raising fish, well water pumped into a test pond contained chlorine due to an equipment malfunction, and all of the privately purchased rainbow trout fry in the pond were killed. Nestle says (see below) it is working to “ensure there are adequate protections to avoid this, or other potential problems, in the future.”

The loss of the fish on the first day and Nestle’s subsequent commitment to only “ADEQUATE [my emphasis] protections … in the future” are very revealing, especially when considered in the context provided by their behavior in other communities across the country (see my Sept. 2 post below for documentation and action suggestions).

Oppose this project now, and support other projects to create sustainable jobs and options in Cascade Locks and other communities.

Best,

Joe

=====

Further Fish-Raising Tests Postponed
Friday, September 4, 2009

The City of Cascade Locks and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) are investigating a water exchange that would enable the hatchery to use city well water in addition to spring water for its operations at the Oxbow site. In return, the city would have spring water to sell to Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) for bottling purposes.

As part of the due diligence, ODFW has asked NWNA to demonstrate that the city well water is suitable for raising fish. A year-long test was designed, and began yesterday, September 3. Water from a city well was piped into a test pond with rainbow trout fry purchased from a private hatchery. Unfortunately, an ineffective check valve from the city’s chlorination system accidentally allowed chlorinated water to be pumped into the test pond. As a result, all the fish perished. Chlorine, often used as a disinfectant in public water systems, is fatal to fish in very small quantities.

NWNA is working closely with ODFW and private consultants to conduct a complete assessment of the pumping equipment and system to ensure there are adequate protections to avoid this, or other potential problems, in the future.

Both NWNA and ODFW agree that additional testing will not be completed until both are confident it can be safely implemented. At this point, we don’t know when that will be. Please check back at this site for updates.

Nestle Waters in the Pacific Northwest – Project Updates
http://www.nestlewaterspnw.com/projectUpdates.aspx

=====

Sent: Wed, 2 Sep 2009
Subject: Public Meeting on Nestle’s Cascade Locks Proposal, Action Suggestions, Resources

All,

In mid-June, The Oregonian reported that Nestle Waters North America is proposing a $50 million water bottling plant in Cascade Locks in the Columbia Gorge 45 miles east of Portland. Nestle proposes to tap some (100 million gallons per year) of the spring water that gushes from the ground and supplies an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife salmon and steelhead hatchery, and replace it with water drawn from the wells that supply Cascade Locks. Nestle proposes to then bottle, ship and sell the spring water as Arrowhead and Pure Life water.
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/06/nestle_eyes_columbia_gorge_spr.html

In late June, OPB’s Think Out Loud hosted a revealing program on the current situation in Cascade Locks and Nestle’s
proposal. Below find an excerpt from the Think Out Loud website on the program:
http://www.opb.org/thinkoutloud/shows/bottling-it-cascade-locks/

… “Cascade Locks is a town of roughly 1,075 people that has been losing jobs for decades and closed its high school earlier this month. The $50 million Nestle facility would bring with it an estimated 45 new jobs and would almost double the town’s property tax revenue.

Opponents of this proposal say that the Nestle jobs won’t go to current Cascade Locks residents, and that Nestle’s presence will drive away tourists who would otherwise come to visit the beautiful scenery. The facility would also bring a continuous stream of truck traffic to the town, and some residents worry about negative consequences for the environment.

Nestle Waters has faced similar opposition before from communities around the country, fighting legal battles in several states. Nestle last year canceled a contract to build a water bottling plant in the town of McCloud, California, after years of vocal opposition from many in that community.” …

Guests on the program included:

* Katelin Stuart: Cascade Locks resident
* Brad Lorang: Mayor of Cascade Locks
* Debra Anderson: President of the McCloud Watershed Council
* Dave Palais: Natural resource manager for Nestle Waters
* Mark Schlosberg: Western regional director for Food & Water Watch

NESTLE SPONSORED PUBLIC MEETING – WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 7 – 9 PM, CASCADE LOCKS

On Wednesday, September 9th, Nestle will sponsor a public meeting from 7 to 9 pm at the Port Pavilion, 355 Wanapa, in Cascade Locks. Information on this Nestle coordinated event is available at the link below. According to Nancy Matela and David Delk of the Alliance for Democracy, a representative from from both the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Water Resources Department will also participate in the meeting and Q & A.
http://www.nestlewaterspnw.com/projectUpdates.aspx

RESOURCES ON NESTLE’S BEHAVIOR IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND THE BOTTLING AND COMMODIFICATION OF WATER

Below find a number of resources on the threats created by Nestle’s proposal, Nestle’s behavior in other communities, and the issues raised on many levels by the bottling and commodification of water.

Nestlé fact sheet: “Undermining Local Control of Water” 2009
http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/sites/default/files/Nestle%20Fact%20Sheet%202009%20FINAL.pdf

Alternet article archives on Nestle
http://www.alternet.org/tags/nestle/

Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation v. Nestle Waters North America, Inc.
http://www.justice4michigan.org/files/hfp_nestle_case.pdf
http://www.savemiwater.org/

Bottled Water – Food & Water Watch
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/bottled

Alternet article archives on bottled water
http://www.alternet.org/tags/bottled%20water/

Think Outside the Bottle – Corporate Accountability International
http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/content/think-outside-bottle
http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/content/communities-think-outside-bottle
http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/water-news

The conclusions emerging from the above evidence — to me, at least — are clear and leave no doubt that Nestle’s Cascade Locks proposal should be strongly opposed. My only regret is that this strong opposition won’t necessarily be coupled with the strong promotion of the sustainable job and community enhancing options that Cascade Locks, like many other communities, sorely needs. But those promotional activities will have to proceed on a separate track — Nestle’s proposal affects much more than just Cascade Locks and needs to be defeated.

WAYS TO DEFEAT NESTLE’S PROPOSAL INCLUDE:

1. Attend the Nestle sponsored event on September 9 in Cascade Locks and raise the important questions with Cascade Locks officials, Nestle, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oregon Water Resources Department.
2. Share your views in writing, over the phone, or via email with all of the above.
3. Review the evidence in the resources above, and write a concise, powerful letter to the editor.
4. Sign-on to the “Keep Nestle Out of the Gorge” online petition sponsored by Food & Water Watch at:
http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/t/741/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=2071

Best,

Joe

ADDENDUM: WILL THIS BE CASCADE LOCKS SEVERAL YEARS DOWN THE ROAD?

Excerpt*:

“It’s been nine years now since Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation first went to court to stop Nestle from pumping millions of gallons from a rural Michigan wildlife preserve….

The case could have been over in 2003, when a judge determined that Nestle’s withdrawal of 400 gallons of water a minute was having a negative impact on several local streams and ponds, and called a halt to the pumping. But the pumping never stopped. Nestle appealed and hired its own scientists to produce studies that validated its operations. To counter Nestle’s efforts, the community has had to continue to hire lawyers and experts and the fees are piling up. Nestle has run the community dry in more ways than one.”

*David v. Goliath: Help Michigan Citizens Protect Their Water from Nestle’s Bottling Operations – Leslie Samuelrich – Corporate Accountability International 7/1/09
http://www.alternet.org/story/141052/

David e. Delk, Alliance for Democracy – Portland Chapter 503 232 5495 www.afd-pdx.org

July 22, 2009

We, the undersigned, strongly urge the City Council to immediately take action today to:

1) Delay the July Council hearing and vote on Bull Run treatment until mid-late August and

2) Schedule such hearing for an evening session so that Portland residents and businesses will have a voice in this critical Council decision which will impact our drinking water for generations to come.

While we understand that the Bureau and the City have a clock ticking with the EPA, there has been insufficient time for Portland citizens and businesses to analyze and respond to related materials (including the response to Council questions).

A hearing scheduled from August 12 – August 28 would not jeopardize Portland’s standing with the EPA

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Regna Merritt Executive Director, Oregon Wild
Catherine Thomason, MD Executive Committee, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
Sebastian Pastore VP Brewing Operations, Craft Brewers Guild, Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
Dan W. Bourbonais General Manager Alsco – American Linen
Floy Jones Friends of Reservoirs
Frank Gearhart Citizens Interested in Bull Run, Inc.
Jeffrey Boly President, Board of Arlington Heights Neighborhood Association
Stephanie Stewart Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association Land Use Chair
Scott Fernandez former City of Portland Water Quality Advisory Committee and PURB
David E. Delk Alliance for Democracy, Portland Chapter
Nancy Matela Food and Water Watch, Northwest Region
Kathy Newcomb Citizens for Safe Water
Alex P. Brown Executive Director, Bark
Meryl Redisch Executive Director, Audubon Society of Portland