Voices ring louder from citizen groups as an anti-water bottling measure approaches Hood River County voters on the May 17 primary election.
“Water Protection Measure” aims to block Nestlé and other large-scale companies from bottling or transporting water from sources within the county, namely Oxbow Springs near Cascade Locks, where the Swiss corporation has attempted since 2008 to site a bottling plant.
Measure 14-55 would amend the county charter to prohibit any business from producing and transporting 1,000 or more gallons of bottled water per day for commercial sale.
Two local groups have solidified for and against the ballot measure.
In favor: Local Water Alliance (LWA), who launched the measure last September, citing negative impacts on water supplies amid drought conditions.
Opposed: Coalition for a Strong Gorge Economy, a group that filed with Oregon Secretary of State’s office on March 9, just over a month before the primary election. The group believes the measure would deprive Cascade Locks of jobs and legal autonomy.
As election day approaches, both groups have redoubled efforts to spread their message to county voters. Not only have they taken to knocking on doors and calling up homes, they’ve also hit social media.
FULL MEASURE TEXT
HOOD RIVER
Measure No: 14-55
Caption: Amends County Charter to prohibit commercial bottled water production.
Question: Shall the County Charter be amended to prohibit the commercial production of bottled water and the
transport of such waters?
Summary:The proposed initiative would prohibit the commercial production of bottled water in the County. The
initiative would also prohibit the transport of commercially-produced bottled water collected from any water source within the county and the transport of water for the purpose of commercially producing bottled water.
The initiative defines bottled water as all water that is labeled or marketed for sale as “water” in containers including, but not limited to, plastic and glass bottles, jugs, or similar containers. The term includes the category of bottled waters known as “enhanced water,” but does not include any other product made from water but which is not marketed as “water.”
The initiative defines commercial production as production of more than 1,000 gallons of water a day and provides an exemption in the case of temporary emergencies. A person or groups of persons would be able to enforce the measure in Hood River County Circuit Court.
Recently, two videos were published online — one condemning Nestlé as an aggressive bully, and one lauding the company’s proposed plant as an economic jumpstart. Both videos surfaced near World Water Day, March 22.
Story of Stuff produced the video against Nestlé, which features interviews with multiple Local Water Alliance members. Nestlé created the video in favor, posted on Twitter, which was actually a shortened, re-edited version of a short film released by the company last year.
Dave Palais, Nestlé Waters of North America regional manager, said Nestlé was aware of Story of Stuff’s upcoming video, but the timing of their own release was intended to celebrate World Water Day.
The coalition in favor of Nestlé started meeting last fall, when LWA proposed the ballot measure, but they formally registered with the state this month.
That collective includes about 100 signed members, including local residents and elected officials. On the campaign committee are Cascade Locks Mayor Tom Cramblett and Port Commission President Jess Groves. Directors are Debora Lorang and Anne Holmstrom.
Cramblett said the group stood for economic independence in Cascade Locks, and that the water supply of Hood River wouldn’t be affected by the Nestlé proposal.
“The name of the game is jobs and self-rule,” Cramblett said. “We see this as a real threat not only for us but other communities, (taking) the power away from you.”
The coalition brought on Rebecca Tweed, Portland area political consultant and lobbyist, as a campaign staffer. Tweed said she joined after hearing about the ballot measure issue from her contacts in the Gorge.
Meanwhile, LWA has continued to press forward with its political advocacy. Lawn signs in Hood River and Cascade Locks saying “Our water, our future,” have sprouted up more frequently.
“We’ve been plugging away,” said Aurora del Val, LWA campaign director, of the group’s growing political push. “Hood River and Cascade Locks aren’t going to give up control of our water supplies.”
Del Val said the group takes issue with the economic benefits of Nestlé coming to Cascade Locks. She argued the corporation hasn’t promised high paying jobs for local residents.
The water exchange deal between Cascade Locks and Oregon Department of Fish Wildlife remains stalled. Essentially, the city would exchange 0.5 cfs per second of its municipal ground water for an equal amount of ODFW’s spring water from Oxbow Springs, which serves ODFW's salmon hatchery. The city would then sell the water to Nestlé for commercial bottling at a $50 million, 250,000-square-foot plant on port property.
The city and ODFW tried to swap water rights through an expedited process, but Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in November told state regulators to withdraw that plan and switch back to the original exchange process, which wouldn’t touch either parties’ water rights. It also requires a more thorough public interest review.
Voters will decide on May 17 whether the ballot measure blocking water bottling companies should become reality.
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