We need an ironclad contract to protect the vast majority of the people in the Flathead Valley.

I found the half-page article in the Daily Interlake about the Montana Artesian Water Company to have some data which, to me, has absolutely no bearing on the use of water. As a third generation retired wheat farmer from Pondera County, I want to point out that the vast majority of wheat raised in Montana is dryland farmed, and for Mr. Weaver's information, I mean watered naturally by mother nature, meaning not irrigated.

Please realize that agriculture irrigation goes on for only a short time out of the 12 months of the year. A lot of the water is not used by the agricultural crops and percolates back into our aquifers.

As for wheat being exported, thank God it helps our nation by providing money coming into our country, which in turn helps all of us by cutting down our national deficit.

As we all eat, so the water used in growing wheat is helping all of us, unlike the case of the Montana Artesian Water Company, where it appears they are just helping themselves.

Now my questions for Mr. Weaver...

Can and will you guarantee that you will not exceed your stated facts?

And that your water usage will never change?

Will you stick to your three trucks?

If so, the half-page notice failed to state the time frame for three trucks!

Is that per hour?

Per day, or what?

Will your hours always stay at 10 hours a day, six days a week?

Will you guarantee that you, or if you sell to someone else, that you will put in writing that these parameters will never change regardless of company ownership?

If surrounding wells in the Valley need drilling deeper, will you pay for them?

Will you guarantee that our ponds and lakes stay at the levels they are or that they have been over the years?

If our ponds and lakes go dry, they will be overtaken with noxious weeds. Who will take care of the infestations?

Without control, wildlife will scatter the weeds through the forest. Who will handle this kind of infestation?

Leafy spurge and spotted knapweed are noxious weeds that property owners are State-mandated to control. I do not believe that all landowners recognize that both leafy spurge and spotted knapweed leave a by-product in the ground that prevents other plants from competing with them.

These are some of the factors for which we need an ironclad contract to protect the vast majority of the people in the Flathead Valley.

Gary Wiest,

Creston MT

Comment:

It appears that an ironclad contract, or any kind of a firm commitment to protect the people of the Flathead Valley isn't what Montana Artesian Water Company wants to offer us. I see nothing here but empty promises, big trucks, and dry wells. VTC

Voice your objections and stop this insidious intrusion…….

 

ARE WE “THEY?”

So “They” plan to build a water bottling plant out there on Egan Slough! You may have heard that mentioned, or even read something in the paper about the Creston water bottling plant. You, by now, understand that “the applicant is planning full build-out of the water bottling plant in stages,” and plans to ultimately fill ONE BILLION, two HUNDRED MILLION, 20 ounce bottles each year, as stated in the DNRC permit application. You may ask, “So, what’s that to ME? and “That water plant is not in MY backyard.” That may be true, but the highway that the trucks, laden with OUR water must travel on, may very well be near you and have a great effect on you.

The bottling plant water consumption will result in a load of 15,323 TONS of water shipped from that proposed bottling plant every seven days and, as stated in the newspaper, the developer plans to ship 10 hours a day, six days a week, 52 weeks of the year. That will require a shipment load of TWO THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED and FIFTY FOUR TONS each day. The bottling plant on Egan Slough may NOT be in your backyard, but the trucks that ship those bottles may be present on the road you travel each morning, noon or night.

How many trucks will it take to haul all those bottles full of OUR water? Those “big rigs” you see on the highway have a gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds. With a pay load of, perhaps, 35 tons, and TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE TONS to ship every hour, 10 hours a day, that requires a shipping schedule of 7.29 “big rigs” every hour, or ONE BIG RIG every 8.22 minutes, 10 hours a day, 6 days a week when the applicant reaches “full build-out” as intended in the permit application.

Let’s not overlook the fact that all of those trucks must return to reload! If those trailers are loaded by the night shift and ready to go at 7a.m., how long will the parade be on Highway 35 each morning when you are in a hurry to get to work? What about the school buses that stop and go transporting the school kids? How about fire trucks or emergency vehicles speeding along to attend to the injured driver who tried to pass up the “parade” and get to work on time?

Will you, (we), the taxpayers cover the cost of paving Egan Slough and Jaquette Roads up to highway standards to support those 80 thousand pound big rigs? If a traffic signal is required, so as to reduce potential road hazards at Jaquette road and Highway 35, will OUR taxes pay the cost? Finally, who will be the eventual owner of the bottling plant; Nestle, Coca Cola, Pepsi? Let’s face it, letting ANY water bottling plant, of ANY size, or ANY production limitation into this valley, or the rest of Montana is potentially dangerous and poor stewardship of our precious resources.

The precedent has been set by the DNRC, the DEQ, and the county commissioners by allowing a permitting process of this scope to proceed to this point without question and by failing to address the “full build out” result of this project. We, together as community, will become the “THEY,” when future generations ask,

…..“Why did “THEY” let this happen?” Voice your objections and stop this insidious intrusion. …….

As Margaret Mead so eloquently stated, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Bill and Nancy McGunagle

Wow, if I didn’t know any better, I might be sucked in by this pathetic attempt to gain my support.

NOT REASSURED AT ALL!!!!!!

This letter is in response to the recent newspaper ads being run by Montana Artesian Water
Company (MAWC) to assure the public that the proposed industrial water-bottling factory is not
a big deal and that we are all over-reacting. Wow, if I didn’t know any better, I might be sucked
in by this pathetic attempt to gain my support. However, I DO know better and am going to shed
a little more light on the subject.

In MAWC’s application for a water right from DNRC, the owner requests approval for 450
gallons per minute for the purpose of bottling 140,000 bottles PER HOUR from his factory. (In
his ad he states usage at only 25 GPM. Hmmmmm, that’s a huge discrepancy.) His application
states that pumping will be underway 24 hours per day, seven days a week, all year long. (the
ad states only 10 hours per day, 6 days a week) These are all HIS numbers, not mine.
Throughout the application, mention is repeatedly made about “full build out.” This simply
means that although he may be starting with only one building and relatively small production,
his INTENT is to ramp it up and eventually use the full amount of water requested to produce
1.2 BILLION 20oz. bottles per year. And if he is granted this water right, he can then sell it to
the highest bidder. This could be ANYBODY.

It is suspect, to say the least, that MAWC would attempt to persuade people to consider forming
an opinion about this venture using such minimal numbers. Neglecting to state the planned
expansion is sneaky and does not reflect well on MAWC. His claim to use only 3 trucks per day
is almost laughable. Maybe for the FIRST day, but soon enough, it would be impossible to
transport the sheer volume of product without at least 80-100 semi-trucks per day.
In closing, I urge everyone to hold fast in their opposition to this project. Our aquifer is far too
precious to us, and future generations, to allow this senseless and frivolous exploitation of it.

Sheila (Last name withheld)

DEQ should be embarrassed...

Sandy Perry 8/19/2016 comments:

As Printed in the Daily InterLake on 8/19/2016:

If only Op-eds were subjected to fact checking. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver (owners of Montana Artesian Water) state they want to base the regulatory process in facts. Bravo!

Here are some facts taken directly from their DNRC permit and their 8/7/16 op-Ed in this paper. Page 24 of the DNRC permit states they want to produce 140,000 twenty ounce bottles per hour (1.2 billion a year) upon full build out.

Now in their op-ed, the Weavers claim that can be transported in 4 trucks a day. What would a truck capable of transporting 840,000 twenty ounce bottles (a fourth of the daily output) look like? DEQ should be embarrassed that they based their impact analysis on the building currently on site (stated on page 4 of that permit).

How about looking at what a factory capable of producing almost 200 million gallons/year of bottled water looks like? I did - it looks like a giant factory - (I googled water bottling plants that size). It is time for DEQ to admit the error of their ways and conduct a full Environmental Impact Study - now.

Or, the Weavers could amend their DNRC application to say they want to produce the amount of water that can be produced in the current building, and transported by 4 trucks a day.

Sandy Perry, Kalispell, MT

Letter to the Editor a follow letter after one above (not printed as of yet)

I wrote the attached letter in direct response to the Weavers op-ed on 8/7 and sent it 8/10. Your letters to the editor policy states that you publish all original letters less than 300 words unless they are libelous or in bad taste. I deliberately made sure to cite absolute facts in this letter, taken directly from the sources cited. I would never make libelous statements because I am very careful to state facts, which the Weavers claim their opponents do not do - while they persist in ignoring the facts in their applications.

My husband (Keith Perry) and I read this paper every day (through his iPad subscription). Sam Wilson has done an admirable job of covering the story. But, the editorial staff has not been fair minded in covering this issue. The Weavers have now taken out ads challenging the truthfulness of their opponents, when in fact it is their own account that ignores the facts.

They are now saying that a large factory would not be right for this neighborhood - which is great. Then they should amend their DNRC and DEQ requests. In fact, based on the recent public statements being made by the Weavers regarding their intent to operate at a fraction of the size stated in their permit, DNRC should throw out the current application and insist on a new application capped at 9.4 million gallons (4% of 235 million total - including rinse and geothermal- in the application) in line with what the Weavers now say they intend. Common ground could be achieved, I believe, if the Weavers asked for a bottling plant 4% the size of the one described in their permits.

Sincerely, Sandy Perry, Kalispell, MT

LETTER: Take the long view of effects of bottling plant

The Creston bottling plant proposes to ship 231 million gallons of water out of Montana. Using — or exploiting — a precious state resource such as this sets an important precedent. 

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/members/letter-take-the-long-view-of-effects-of-bottling-plant/article_21036180-5fdf-11e6-9f7c-9b8168e6b6d9.html

Comment from a previous resident of Orland California

In the case of Orland, Calif., a tiny town on Interstate 5 about 100 miles north of Sacramento, Crystal Geyser counted on dealing with a bunch of ignorant country hicks. Unbeknownst to most of the locals, they operated in secrecy under the guise of the consulting firm, MALCOLM PIRNIE. This firm was genius in getting all ducks in a row, to the point of getting a representative hired on with the local newspaper well in advance. In secrecy they convinced the local City Council members to put a expensive lift pump to handle the waste water to go to the city sewer. They wined and dined some local businesses with implications of promised work. They cozied up to adjacent landowners. They drilled a 24" test well.

When they finally made their formal request for the City for the building permit, the word had "got out" and a group of us were already complaining to the City about the lack of transparency. When the proposal was submitted without the name of the company, the City rejected the application on the basis of "incomplete" because the company was not named on the application.

This gave us a little time to loosely organize, and call ourselves SOWR for Save Our Water Resources. We were mostly farm / farm related , We enlisted help from an active environmental group, A local attorney/judge was in our group, as well as a former county supervisor,

When the City gave its OK for the project without a complete Environmental Impact Report, we filed suit against the City, and Crystal Geyser. Crystal Geyser had already agreed to pay any legal fees to the City. A n environmental law firm from Sacramento took our case. SABRINA TELLER handled the case for us.

The ensuing 'fight' split our little town like the North vs the South. The rally cry was for JOBS, JOBS, JOBS. In reality, very few jobs would have gone to locals, as my husband and I went to other bottling plants, and in secret, watched the employees come and go at shift changes. They are so highly automated that very few employees are needed. In our case, even the clerical work would not have been local. CG had its own construction company which would have come in to do the initial construction---including the finish (tile) work.

The method is to begin under the guise of a 'Mom and Pop' little company. Then once it is up and running, no one can stop them from expanding. They lower the neighboring property values, then buy it up, then expand further.

They have no intent to pay for additional sewer, county roads, etc. We went to CALISTOGA, where the company has an old plant. The roads in poor condition, due to the constant round the clock travel of the water trucks.

In my research, I found that the 'mode of operation' was pretty consistent with the other large water companies. We were lied to, and false hopes were given at heir "job fair" where local unemployed were filled with compliments and false hopes. (No one interviews potential employees even before the building has a permit)

I could ramble on all night, but a typist I'm not.

I love the Flathead Valley, and would not wish for a bottling plant if I were a resident there.

I moved out of Orland before Crystal Geyser announced it was leaving, but since I left, the people of Orland have had to ration water, and many, many wells have gone dry. They would have really been in trouble if the water bottling plant would have been built.

Good Luck, Dalene (Last name withheld)

Daily interlake LETTER: It’s time to preserve water worldwide

Groundwater reserves are being depleted ALL OVER THE WORLD!

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/members/letter-it-s-time-to-preserve-water-worldwide/article_d19b47dc-5fe0-11e6-b1aa-b7deb23636de.html

Bottling Plant Opinions from 11 August Daily Interlake

Letters to the Editor:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4Cd6He9QtdLSmcwamFzU0ZxZDg/view?usp=sharing

Washington mayor resigns amid bottled-water dispute

Walt Gobel said he had the city’s interest in mind when he and the city administrator met confidentially with Nestle Waters North America. The company was exploring a water-bottling plant in this town of 1,200 people north of Walla Walla.

Water-plant foes filled school gym and the parking looked like Creston Auction

Water-plant foes fill school gym

Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake

Water bottling plant

More than 300 people crammed into the gymnasium at Creston School on Monday evening to listen to and give comments about the draft water quality permit for the Montana Artesian Water Co.’s proposed water bottling plant. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/water-plant-foes-fill-school-gym/article_2b223c5c-58f7-11e6-8626-63ac3a398505.html

1 Aug DEQ Public Meeting TV coverage

KPAX TV

Heated meeting over proposed Creston water bottling plant

http://www.kpax.com/story/32599245/heated-meeting-over-proposed-creston-water-bottling-plant

Are non-BPA Water Bottles Safe? Chemical used to replace BPA in plastic accelerates embryonic development, disrupts reproductive system

UCLA-led research highlights some harmful effects of BPS, a common substitute for BPA

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/chemical-used-to-replace-bpa-in-plastic-accelerates-embryonic-development-disrupts-reproductive-system