July 31, 2008

Proposed Nestle Plant Faces Carbon Scrutiny

California Attorney General Jerry Brown  recently sent a 10-page letter to the Planning Department of McCloud in Siskiyou County, outlining deficiencies in the county’s environmental studies of a Nestle Waters bottling plant and promised “swift legal challenge” if they are not resolved, Redding.com reports.

The letter faults Nestle for not analyzing the plant’s potential greenhouse gases. The county, presumably, will only approve the project if it knows how the plastic bottles, the transportation trucks. and the electricity will affect climate change - and how emissions will be offset.

In reaction to the letter, Nestle says it has agreed to a two to three year study and evaluation of the intended primary source of water for the project, Squaw Valley Creek.

Nestle wants to pump about 200 million gallons of water a year from three natural springs that supply McCloud, Businessweek reports. Nestle originally wanted to pump double that amount, but scaled back plans after years of opposition from residents and environmentalists.

“It takes massive quantities of oil to produce plastic water bottles and to ship them in diesel trucks across the United States,” Brown said. “Nestle will face swift legal challenge if it does not fully evaluate the environmental impact of diverting millions of gallons of spring water from the McCloud River into billions of plastic water bottles,” Brown added.

Redding.com recommends that the state clarify its guidelines for businesses as it fights against climate change. Otherwise, the state risks losing companies to other states or countries with less unpredictable delays and fewer paperwork.

Last year, Nestle Water CEO countered criticisms leveled at the bottled water industry by writing an opinion piece for Hearst Newspapers.

Here’s a rundown on some of the other battles Nestle Water has faced.

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