Gov. Granholm's announcement today on the Evart Ice Mountain water bottling and export project could be a major turning point in Michigan's environmental history. It will be, if the moratorium on new bottled water projects turns into a lasting policy of water conservation, and the beginning of the end of selling the public's water for private profit outside of the Great Lakes Basin.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2005
Contact: Heidi Hansen
517-335-6397
**Granholm Issues Executive Directive Placing Moratorium on Bottled
Water Permits**
//Nestle Issued Limited Permit in Evart//
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today issued an executive
directive that places a moratorium on permits and approvals for new or
increased bottled water operations in Michigan, until such time as the
Legislature passes comprehensive water withdrawal legislation. The
moratorium is designed to provide the state the opportunity to fully
study the appropriateness and the impact water bottling facilities have
on Michigan’s water resources.
“Michigan is blessed to be surrounded by 20 percent of the world’s fresh
water supply, and we must not be reckless in protecting it,” Granholm
said. “As stewards of the Great Lakes, we must ensure these facilities
are not causing long term harm to our most precious natural resource.”
The directive calls on the Legislature to enact comprehensive water
withdrawal legislation as outlined in the Governor’s proposed Water
Legacy Act and to give definition to what constitutes a diversion of
Great Lakes water. The act would give the state the necessary tools to
effectively evaluate proposals for the bottling of water and monitor
these operations.
“We need a comprehensive framework for managing the withdrawal of our
Great Lakes water,” Granholm said. “We need to protect our water and
ensure that it can be used responsibly.”
The moratorium applies only to new permit applications and does not
affect existing bottled water operations or facilities with permits
pending before the state. It does not apply if the bottled water
operator is willing to certify that they will distribute only within the
Great Lakes Basin.
The debate on this issue escalated in recent months when the City of
Evart entered into an agreement with Nestle Waters North America for the
sale of water from the city’s municipal water system to Nestle for
bottling. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) today issued a
permit to Nestle that contains special conditions requiring them to
certify – every three months – that spring water from the Evart plant is
distributed only within the Great Lakes Basin.
“The permit issued to Nestle allows the company to use our state’s
resources, but ensures that they will be used responsibly,” said DEQ
Director Steven E. Chester. “The Legislature now must take action to
provide us with the needed path forward on this important public policy
issue.”
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