LANSING, MI — A state administrative judge has upheld a permit that allows global food and beverage giant Nestle to boost the amount of Michigan groundwater it extracts for sale under the Ice Mountain bottled water brand.

In a decision dated April 24, Judge Dan Pulter ruled that Nestle’s plans to withdrawal 576,000 gallons of groundwater per day from the headwaters of two cold water trout streams in Osceola County will not negatively impact the surrounding natural resources.

The ruling upholds a controversial and unpopular permit approval Nestle received just over two years ago from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) under former Gov. Rick Snyder.

The Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC) and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians filed a challenge to that permit approval in July 2018.

https://www.mlive.com/news/2020/04/nestle-wins-legal-challenge-to-michigan-groundwater-extraction.html