The written comment period for Public Comment on the Nestlé/BlueTriton Brands 1041 permit application closes at 5:00 p.m. May 27. The public can make verbal comments at the next permit meeting set for 1:00 p.m. June 1.
Arrowhead brand bottled water, one of several Nestlé Water brands. Courtesy image
Following that public hearing, the Chaffee County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC), convening as the 1041 Permit Authority, expects to begin final review and deliberations of the Nestlé permit extension application on June 15.
The Nestlé Waters North America permit application asks the permitting authority to consider a ten (10) year extension of an existing 1041 Permit for a spring water production process, and associated transmission pipeline and loading facility in Johnson Village. The water, trucked to the company’s bottling plant in Denver, is branded as the Arrowhead spring water brand.
That the permit application is controversial is an understatement; pitting environmental concerns against economic and business interests. The permit review began in Oct. 2019, and due to proper notice timing and pandemic delays, has stretched out for nearly 18 months. The 1041 Permit Authority has been receiving and reviewing extensive public comments throughout the hearing process, which has included multiple public meetings addressing the permit extension application.
In the midst of the permit review Nestlé SA, the parent company of Nestlé Waters North America, put the company up for sale, resulting in a change in the applicant’s corporate structure. When the company shares were taken over by an investment partnership, the company was renamed BlueTriton, causing questions about whether or not the 1041 permit application should continue or start over.
At recent Permit Authority meetings in April and May, the county accepted additional information in connection with the Nestlé 2020 annual report and economic impact studies. The BoCC decided to proceed under the current permit application, choosing not to put the country through another lengthy application process.
The BoCC is asking that anyone who would like to submit written comments regarding the recent Nestlé annual report and economic impact studies do so no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 27. The county explains that this deadline ensures the comments can be added to the 1041 Permit Authority review meeting packets, reviewed by the Permit Authority, and posted to the public site (https://www.chaffeecounty.org/Public-Notices) prior to the next meeting on June 1st.
Written comments may be emailed to the County Administration offices at chaffeeadmin@chaffeecounty.org or hard copy letters may be mailed or hand-delivered to 104 Crestone Ave, Salida, CO 81201. All written comments must be received by close of business on Thursday, May 27, in order to be included in the permit extension hearing public record.
The BoCC, convened as the 1041 Permit Authority will meet in a virtual session at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 1. The Zoom session will be available online at https://zoom.us/j/109079543 or by calling into 1-669-900-6833 and entering meeting ID # 109 079 543. Public comment is limited to three minutes per person.
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