LETTER: Bottling plant OK, but only with conditions

More comments on Montana Artesian Water Company:

First, I would like to state that I am in firm support of Mr. Weaver’s property rights. It is one of the few things that still separate us from socialism and communism. I believe that he has every right to sell HIS timber, HIS topsoil, HIS stones, rocks or gravel, HIS crops or animals.

Unfortunately, Mr. Weaver has chosen to sell OUR water and jeopardize OUR water resources, OUR wells and OUR investments in OUR farms and ranches. I stated in my original letter of opposition to the DNRC that this company has the potential to cause a great deal of damage to the aquifer and individual wells. Many of our water rights supersede the ones Mr. Weaver is requesting.

Several things need to be done to protect OUR interests:

1) Request that our Legislature impose a severance tax on every gallon of water that leaves the state of Montana in any form. We already do this with our coal, oil and minerals. This money could be used to replace revenue lost from the demise of our timber industry and as an added benefit, make Montana water less attractive for commercial use. I believe that the groundwork is already present in our Constitution. I would also propose that the Legislature impose a deposit on all plastic bottles and require the bottling companies take some of the responsibility for recycling the plastic bottles and minimizing their impact on the environment and our landfills.

2) If the DEQ and DNRC do approve this commercialization (which I still vehemently oppose!) I believe that at a very minimum, Mr. Weaver’s Montana Artesian Water Company should be required to post a minimum $5 million performance and damage mitigation bond to start to offer some protection to OUR private and public resources.

3) If the DEQ and DNRC do approve this business, there needs to be a requirement for a cease and suspend operations clause that would suspend commercial withdrawal of OUR water if there is damage to the surface or ground water associated with this business. Appropriate fines and restitution also needs to be applied if conditions are not met or damage is done. We simply cannot let this business proceed based on Mr. Weaver’s promise to do the right thing. If he is doing the right thing, there should be no problem with the conditions applied! —Marty Boehm, Creston