9News covers "Water wars in Chaffee County"

BUENA VISTA - Nestle Waters North America is on the verge of tapping into an aquifer it calls plentiful. Located near Ruby Mountain and Big Horn Springs in rural Chaffee County, the aquifer feeds into the Arkansas River.

The company would harvest the water for its Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water brand. Many county residents are concerned about the impact the project would have on the wildlife and surrounding ecosystem and of course the impact on the community water supply.

"We're all just praying it doesn't happen, that we can keep them away and keep them out of Colorado. The fear is we won't have enough water, that we'll be buying back water from Nestle in 10 years to water our gardens so that we can eat," said Vicki Klein, head of a group called Chaffee Citizens for Sustainability.

Read the entire article here.

Mountain Mail coverage of areas not satisfied by Nestle's 1041 application

Jennifer Denevan summarizes areas found to be not satisfied by County staff:

• substantiation of need for the proposed project
• project consistency with the land use plans and regulations, comprehensive plans, and water quality plans of the county, local municipalities and regional, state and federal entities
• ability to meet the requirements of CO Public Health and Environment and CO Water Conservation Board as well as other state and federal water supply, in-stream flow and water-quality requirements
• absence of significant impact on the quality of peripheral or downstream surface water resources
• prevention of significant deterioration to air quality, visual quality, wetlands, and floodplains, and terrestrial and aquatic animal life and habitat
• assurance of no significant adverse net effect on the local economy
• prevention of significant adverse net effect on wildlife species
• harmonious, non-destructive human interaction with wildlife habitats

The article also summarizes findings of County consultants. Well worth the read.

Aurora approves sale of water to Nestle for augmentation

From the Aurora Sentinel:

Council also lent its approval to a lease agreement with Nestle Waters North America, Inc., a pact that would see Aurora lease up to 200 acre-feet of water in the Arkansas Basin to Nestle Waters North America Inc. for $800 per acre-foot. The agreement passed by a 7-4 vote; councilmembers Renie Peterson, Bob FitzGerald, Larry Beer and Ryan Frazier voted no.

Upcoming Nestle Meetings

Hi All,

Just wanted to inform you all of some important dates.

We are holding info meetings in Salida and BV next week as follows:

Sunday, March 29, 4 pm at Bongo Billy's Salida

Monday, March 30, 7 pm at the Buena Vista Community Center

Please try to attend one of those meetings to find out what you can do to keep Nestle Waters out of Chaffee County.

For more information check out www.salidacitizen.com, www.chaffeecounty.org, www.stopnestlewaters.org, and Monday's Denver Post.

The next Public Hearing with opportunity for public comment is scheduled for April 21 in Buena Vista. Please make it a point to attend. In the mean time, write letters to the commissioners and to the editors of Mountain Mail and the Chaffee County Times.

Last week our group became a non-profit Chaffee Citizens for Sustainability. You can reach us by email at ccfsustainability@gmail.com.

Pass this info on to your friends and neighbors!

Michele

11 Consultant Reports Posted on County Website

Hi All,

Don Reimer wrote today that 11 consultant reports have been posted on the chaffeecounty.org website.

Everyone come to the Public Hearing on Wednesday, March 18th at the Steam Plant and bring a friend or two. It starts at 1pm, with public comment set aside for 6:30. I you plan on speaking, have a copy of the text for the commissioners. If you do not wish to speak, you can submit a written comment and it will become a part of the public record.

I have been told that a final decision will not be made until at least April 8th. However, we are going to ask for a 12-month moratorium in light of the new info that keeps on surfacing and we encourage everyone who gets up to speak to demand a moratorium as well.

Michele

Hey Everyone,

We have the consultant reports done for Chaffee County. They have been sitting in a file up at the county building. They are the "meat" for the opposition. watch out for them and pay special attention to draft 3D and 3F.

Also plan to come to Bongo's at 4pm Sunday to get some good talking points.

Write to commissioners!!!!

Show up March 18, 6:00pm, commissioners mtg!!!!!!

Michele

NEXT GROUP MEETING

Greetings all,

We are organizing another meeting to provide all those citizens concerned about the Nestle project with some new information that has  been received.  This is important information in light of the coming hearing at the Steam Plant on Wednesday the 18th at 1:00 PM.  

Please try to attend our next meeting and invite your friends.  Here are the particulars:

Meeting Date:  Sunday March 15, 2009

Meeting Place:  Bongo Billy's in Salida

Meeting Time:  4:00 PM

Thanks!