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Cal Trout Press Release
Nestle's Leaving McCloud
September 12, 2009 -- Nestle Waters NA just announced that they're withdrawing their plans to bottle McCloud River water. Citing a "thorough analysis of its business operations in Northern California," and a new plant in the Sacramento area, Nestle said they will not pursue a new contract with the McCloud Community Services District and will leave the town of McCloud. Thus ends a protracted struggle over the future of the McCloud River, its fish and local community. CalTrout staff, members and supporters have fought to protect the McCloud River and its fish since the first contract was signed in 2003. That contract was withdrawn last year. Nestle started off on the wrong foot but over time improved their siting process, reached out to the public and, at CalTrout's urging, began to conduct scientific studies of their proposed plant's possible impacts. CalTrout was instrumental in forming the Protect Our Waters Coalition with the McCloud Watershed Council and Trout Unlimited to protect the water, fish and the community's quality of life from the originally-proposed 1-million-square-foot plant. After many years of talks with Nestle', CalTrout and the Coalition developed a candid and constructive dialogue with Nestle that resulted in the cancellation of the original contract and the commission of scientific studies. "The protection of the cold, clean spring waters that feed the McCloud River has been our primary objective throughout this process", said Curtis Knight, Mount Shasta Area Manager for California Trout. "In particular, we were pleased by Nestle's commitment last year to undertake a two-year scientific study on Squaw Valley Creek. The studies being implemented are cutting edge and comprehensive and the increased knowledge of the watershed is a benefit to the community." This is an enormous victory for the McCloud River, its fish and the community. It is also a victory for you. Without CalTrout's dedicated members and supporters, this wouldn't have happened.From here CalTrout is committed to helping Nestle finish up the baseline studies on Squaw Valley Creek, continuing the monitoring and assessments of 23 springs around Mt. Shasta and furthering education, outreach and regional water planning for Mt. Shasta's clean, cold, spring waters
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