By Angie Thompson
While the state burns and the Western Slope suffers a drought emergency, Chaffee County Commissioners vote 2-1 allowing Nestle Waters’ buyer to bottle and export 65 million gallons of Colorado water annually, supplemented with water from the Colorado River Watershed.
Citizens and local groups in the county seat of Salida plan protests in response.
Members of the Central Colorado Climate Coalition will be gathering with supporters to protest at the Chaffee County Commissioners meeting today, July 20, at the Chaffee County Courthouse in Salida. The non-profit has been speaking out against the Nestle Waters North America spring water pumping and bottling operation based in Chaffee County for over a year, and is hoping statewide media is ready to pay attention.
After months of public comments and citizen expert presentations arguing against corporate profiteering on local groundwater, the commissioners convened as the 1041 Permit Authority on July 6 and voted 2-1 with intent to approve the renewal of a 10-year permit. This permit will allow the newly-formed Blue Triton Brands to pump up to 65 million gallons of water from a local aquifer each year, and “replace” the loss to the Arkansas River by purchasing augmentation water from the Western Slope.
The water Nestle has been purchasing from the Upper Arkansas Water Conservation District is taken in part from the Colorado River watershed and piped to Twin Lakes Reservoir near Leadville through the Trans-Basin Tunnel. From there, it is eventually released into the Arkansas River and “replaces” the water Nestle ships to Denver and is exported outside Colorado as Arrowhead Brand spring water.
“ANY other use of Colorado River water allotted to us would be better than using it to replace water that is trucked to Denver, packaged in plastic, and sold out of state!” stated Jen Swacina of Unbottle Protect Chaffee County Water, an allied non-profit.
“How can anyone approve such frivolous use of water when farmers are short on irrigation for their crops and the governor has declared a state of emergency?” demands Central Colorado Climate Coalition member, Angie Thompson. “Do people on the Western Slope know that while they are put on water restrictions, a corporation is paying to have their water sent across the divide for millions of dollars in bottled water profits?”
“Our climate is going through radical changes, and our politicians have the opportunity to think globally and act locally by protecting our water for local use in the future, and preventing the manufacture of billions of single-use plastic bottles. Instead they are allowing themselves to be enticed with small sums of money, while selling the future of Coloradans for pennies on the gallon.” said Climate Coalition members in a public statement.
Among the Chaffee County commissioners, only one voice of opposition has emerged, that of Commissioner Keith Baker. “One of the original underpinnings of the Colorado Doctrine and Colorado law was to prevent speculation and profiteering off water,” he said during a June 22 hearing, noting also that “water is something we cannot live without.” He explained that he can not vote for this permit in good conscience, noting the progression of climate change, and the impacts on our valley. His common sense and straight forward approach has been publicly lauded by local environmental groups.
Supporters of Unbottle Protect Chaffee County and the Central Colorado Climate Coalition are expected to turn out in force to voice their approval of Keith Baker’s decision and pressure the other two commissioners to write conditions into the permit renewal that will ensure future and environmental considerations are included.
Unbottle and Protect Chaffee County Water has also brought to light legal concerns in a letter from their lawyer pointing out the conflict of interest between commissioner, Greg Felt, and his ownership of a local fly fishing outfitter, and position as Vice-Chairman of the Upper Arkansas Water Conservation District, which receives 20 percent of its annual income from selling Nestle augmentation water from the Western Slope. Numerous public comments have voiced concern over conflicts of interest in the current case and original permit creation.
Media and supporters are encouraged to attend the protest and Chaffee County Commissioners meeting today, July 20 at 12:30pm at the county courthouse in Salida or 1pm via Zoom.
Although this will be one of the first in-person 1041 permit meetings held since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commissioners are not accepting any public comment during the meeting to guide them in creating the conditions for the permit.
Angie Thompson is a Community Organizer with Central Colorado Climate Coalition.