Via America’s Lawyer: Mike Papantonio is joined by Farron Cousins, Executive Editor of the Trial Lawyer Magazine, to discuss Nestle’s water extraction efforts in the San Bernardino National Forest.
Transcript of the above video:
Papantonio:
Dozens of protesters descended on San Bernardino National Forest in southern California earlier this month to pose Nestlé’s water extraction operations. According to the company, Nestlé collected 32 million gallons of water in 2016 for its Arrowhead bottled water, an amount that activists say is contributing to the severe lack of ground water in the area, in conjunction with an ongoing drought in that state. Here to discuss this story and the legal actions that have been taken against Nestlé is Farron Cousins, Executive Editor of The Trial Lawyer Magazine. Farron, it’s amazing. The corporate media acts like this is a new story. This is not a new story. Nestlé has been doing this all over the world, raping and pillaging water supplies all over the world. What is your take on this?
Cousins:
Well, they absolutely have. In the case of this California pipeline, water pipeline that they have, this has been in operation since 1929. We do know in recent years, the last 20 years I suppose, they’ve been going to South America privatizing these water areas in places like Bolivia, they’ve been doing it in Mexico, they’re going north, they’re doing it in Ontario Canada. They’re doing this all over the globe, usually in places where they can easily manipulate the government, pay them off, privatize the water, and then in many cases sell it back to the same villagers or locals.
Papantonio:
Well, I mean the point is this is the routines that we’re seeing with corporate America right now. Start in a place like Mexico, start in South America, go to a third-world country, you succeed there, no pushback. You buy your way through the politics, the media doesn’t really care. Now, what we have to understand is we’re being treated like a third-world country. That’s how Nestlé regards us right now. They’re here doing this as if we’re a third-world country. Now, start by outlining the issues with Nestlé’s permit to extract water. By the way, what does the company pay for that water?
Cousins:
Technically they pay zero dollars. They do pay about 600 or so every year for a permit renewal fee, but the permit actually hasn’t been renewed since 1988. That’s when the current permit that they’re operating under expired, 1988. They’re going into the forest, they’re sucking up all the water, not paying anything for the actual water. This is a state that as we know has been plagued by a drought that’s finally starting to resolve, but its been in drought for about four or five years, very severe drought, and Nestlé comes in, sucks up all the water, is once again depleting the water that’s finally starting to get built back in the forest and selling it back to consumers at an inflated price.
Papantonio:
Government allows them to do it.
Cousins:
Yep.
Papantonio:
Regulators allows them to do it.
Cousins:
Yep.
Papantonio:
Corporate media allows them to do it.
Cousins:
Absolutely.
Papantonio:
Just look the other way. What I do see in this case is you have in 2015 three environmental groups sued Nestlé and they actually are making pretty good headway there. What is your take on that?
Cousins:
Unfortunately, the end result there was that the judge said, “Look, Nestlé did come back to the state, tried to renew their permit,” because that’s what these groups are saying, “Look, this permit expired in 1988. How are they still pulling water out today?” Well, the judge came back and said, “Look, it turns out Nestlé actually reapplied for the permit, but the state just never got back to them.” Legally, they’re still operating under a permit that expired two decades before almost, but the judge says, “Well, they tried, state didn’t talk to them, so Nestlé you win.” The state then says, “Well look, we’ve been burdened with mudslides, wild fires, droughts, budget cuts. There’s not enough hours in the day to do it.”
Papantonio:
Well, and I got to tell you something. This is a story that’s going to get a lot worse as water shortages continue.
