Update: DEQ pushes public review window into 2017
LANSING, MI -- The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will hold a public hearing and extend a public comment window on an application by Nestle Waters North America to extract more groundwater for bottling.
A 2007 exterior view of the Nestle Waters Ice Mountain bottling plant near Stanwood.
The DEQ will now accept public comment another 30 days, until Dec. 3, on plans by Nestle to increase allowed pumping from 150 to 400 gallons-per-minute at one of its White Pine Springs production wells near Evart.
Public comment was set to end Thursday, Nov. 3.
Carrie Monosmith, environmental health chief in the DEQ Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance, said she's received more than 1,100 emails since MLive published a story Monday about Nestle's request for more groundwater. The DEQ had not received any comments prior.
Much of the feedback sought a hearing and extended comment window, she said.
A date and location for the hearing hasn't been finalized, but Monosmith said the DEQ is looking for a large venue in the Big Rapids area.
"It's obviously a very serious subject to many people in the state," she said.
The Nestle proposal was originally published last month in the DEQ Environmental Calendar, a bi-weekly notice for permitting decisions and other official business that is not widely read by the general public.
Nestle, which is spending $36 million to expand its Ice Mountain bottling plant in Stanwood, wants to pump up to 576,000 gallons-per-day from a well located between two coldwater trout stream tributaries of the Muskegon River.
Nestle already increased the well's daily pumping rate in 2015 and earlier this year, but needs DEQ approval to max out the withdrawal capacity under the Section 17 of the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Nestle says the increase won't significantly impact nearby surface waters.
Jim Olson, an attorney who represented the Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation in a 9-year court battle with Nestle that resulted in a settlement limiting how much water the company could pump from its Stanwood wells, called the DEQ decision to extend comment a "step in the right direction."
Olson criticized the DEQ for not disclosing the site review data, figures and other attachments with Nestle's application summary online. Monosmith said the DEQ may soon make those documents public online.
Olson, who co-founded the Traverse City-based freshwater advocacy nonprofit FLOW (For Love of Water) said the right to public participation in government decisions about water has been "diminished to the point of absurdity."
"Water is public, subject to high ethical and legal duties of protection for Great Lakes, lakes and streams, wetlands, groundwater, fishing, recreation, farming and businesses here," Olson said. "The MDEQ's handling of the Nestle application is as lax as the handling of the Flint water crisis. Nothing has changed."
Nestle Waters North America spokesperson Christopher Rieck said the company is "committed to an open, transparent process that allows the public to share their views and learn more about our sustainable operations."
"We believe our long record of active community engagement and careful water stewardship has been beneficial to Michigan and look forward to answering any questions the community may have about our operations," he said.
To comment on the Nestle proposal, email Carrie Monosmith at deq-eh@michigan.gov, or send mail to Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance, P.O. Box 30241, Lansing, Michigan 48909-7741. Comments must be received by Dec. 3.