Thousands petition Oregon governor to stop Nestlé deal

Thousands of people have submitted comments opposing a controversial water-rights trade in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge.

The deal will allow the Swiss company Nestlé Waters to open a bottling plant in the economically depressed small town of Cascade Locks.

Opponents stacked about 7,000 comments at the Oregon State Capitol Thursday during a press conference meant to draw attention to the water swap, which centers on state-owned water rights at Oxbow Springs. They also plan to submit a petition, with about 25,000 signatures, asking Gov. Kate Brown to block the deal.

Supporters tout the jobs – about 50 – that the plant will bring. But opponents say the deal evades public input while giving the public's water to a multinational corporation for free.

That's especially egregious as the state heads into its fourth year of drought, they say. Already, Gov. Kate Brown has declared drought emergencies in seven Oregon counties. Seven more counties have asked for drought declarations.

"Public water should remain publicly owned for the public good," said Jeff Klatke, President of Oregon AFSCME.

For six years, Nestlé has been trying to tap the spring water, which the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife uses for a nearby salmon hatchery.

Cascade Locks had been aiming to trade its well water gallon-for-gallon with the state's Owbox Springs water, then sell the spring water to Nestlé.

That plan faced an extensive review to determine whether it served the public interest.

Last month, the city and state reached a new agreement that would permanently trade water rights, instead of just water. That doesn't require a public interest review.

"Times are changing in the West. Water is scarce and climate change is happening," Rep. Ann Lininger, D-Lake Oswego, said in a statement. "This deal with Cascade Locks and Nestlé is a stark reminder of the pressures on Oregon's water supply. It is a wake-up call about the work we need to do to protect our communities, wildlife and environment moving forward."

Last month, nine Oregon legislators, including Lininger, sent a letter to the Governor urging her to block the deal, which is not subject to Legislative approval.

Brown's office responded that her role is only to ensure that the permitting process is legal and orderly.

In a statement released after the press conference, Rep. Mark Johnson, R-Hood River, and Sen. Chuck Thomsen, R-Hood River, said they support the deal.

Both represent constituents in Cascade Locks.

"This is a project that will adequately balance conservation and environmental protection efforts with the needs of families in Cascade Locks," Johnson said. "It represents a long-term commitment to invest in rural Oregon and will open the door for other kinds of investment in struggling communities."

tloew@statesmanjournal.com, (503) 399-6779 or follow at Twitter.com/SJWatchdog

Learn more

Visit the Oregon Water Resources Department to learn more about a proposed water transfer involving Nestlé Waters.