DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Vacationland" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Vacationland</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FilmFestival" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FilmFestival</span></a> this weekend in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BiddefordME" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BiddefordME</span></a>! Highlights include "<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/StolenSprings" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>StolenSprings</span></a>" (about <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigWater</span></a>), "Invisible" (about life with <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ChronicIllness" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ChronicIllness</span></a>), and "An Extraordinary Place" (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WMPG" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WMPG</span></a> documentary with my buddy, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DJShaxx" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DJShaxx</span></a> !), all in a restored historic (and haunted) theatre!</p><p>2nd Vacationland Film Festival<br>August 21-24, 2025<br>Biddeford City Theater</p><p><a href="https://citytheater.org/vacationland-film-festival/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">citytheater.org/vacationland-f</span><span class="invisible">ilm-festival/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ShortFilms" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ShortFilms</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/IndieFilms" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>IndieFilms</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineFilmmakers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MaineFilmmakers</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineEvents" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MaineEvents</span></a></p>
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#polandspring
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DoomsdaysCW<p>So, one of our neighbors builds and installs birdhouses for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CaliforniaFields" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CaliforniaFields</span></a> in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HollisME" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>HollisME</span></a> (conservation land owned by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> / <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a>). The owners recently cleared out a bunch of pine trees, making more grasslands for endangered birds. Here is one of my neighbor's creations (taken yesterday, when it was more hazy).</p><p>Read more about the restoration here:<br><a href="https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/poland-spring-hollis-maine-endangered-birds-grassland-habitat-inland-fisheries-wildlife/97-915df0f7-e07f-46cc-93a1-e9149e18d4b4" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">newscentermaine.com/article/ne</span><span class="invisible">ws/local/poland-spring-hollis-maine-endangered-birds-grassland-habitat-inland-fisheries-wildlife/97-915df0f7-e07f-46cc-93a1-e9149e18d4b4</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BirdConservation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BirdConservation</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GrasslandRestoration" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GrasslandRestoration</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>I took a lunch break in a nearby meadow today. The corporate landowners (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> / <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a>) kept their word and got rid of most of the pine trees they had planted years ago (to hide the water source?) -- returning <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CaliforniaFields" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CaliforniaFields</span></a> back into, well, fields! Lots of butterflies and bees were enjoying the abundance (there will be more native grasses and milkweed next year). Soon, there will be caterpillars chomping away!</p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Restoration" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Restoration</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Rewilding" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Rewilding</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Nature" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Nature</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EndangeredSpecies" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EndangeredSpecies</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Grasslands" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Grasslands</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@PattyHanson" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>PattyHanson</span></a></span> Year ago, the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PBS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PBS</span></a> show <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Frontline" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Frontline</span></a> had taken some footage of the actual water source -- a drilled well. Afterwards, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> posted the area as a "No Trespassing Zone". The alleged "spring" is little more than a seasonal trickle, and NOT the water source.</p>
DoomsdaysCW<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@PattyHanson" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>PattyHanson</span></a></span> So, I happen to know a LOT about the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Nestle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Nestle</span></a> water fraud case. I did some digging when Nestle / <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a> / <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> wanted to double their extraction during a DROUGHT! I found old maps by their own hydrologists which showed that the surrounding area was all part of the same watershed -- something that was confirmed by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineDEP" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MaineDEP</span></a>. Anyhow, their paid shill was flabbergasted and didn't know what to say, so they ended up backing out of their plans. Sometimes it just takes some pushback (and making a stink) to get corporations to change. But they are tricky f*cks -- well-practiced in PR and BS!</p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>For the past few years, I've had to dedicate time to fight STUPID SHIT here in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a>. Two years ago, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> / <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a> / WhateverTheFuckThey'reCalledNow tried to double water extraction during a <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Drought" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Drought</span></a>. Last year, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineTurnpikeAuthority" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MaineTurnpikeAuthority</span></a> wanted to put a highway through one of the last working farms in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GreaterPortlandMaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GreaterPortlandMaine</span></a> (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SmilingHillFarm" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SmilingHillFarm</span></a>). Now this year, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MDOT" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MDOT</span></a> wants to build a replacement bridge over the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SacoRiver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SacoRiver</span></a> with NO PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALK! In an area with a library, an ice cream parlor, and hiking trails on both sides of the river! WTF is wrong with people! Well, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateGreed" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateGreed</span></a> is a big part of the problem. I'm sure MTA had the contractors salivating over the contracts they hoped to milk out of them!<br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MainePolitics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MainePolitics</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>I loved seeing the look on the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> hired hand hydrologist when he found out that the source of some of the aquifer maps were from their own studies -- but buried in PDF documents!</p>
anna_lillith 🇺🇦🌱🐖<p>Not only is <a href="https://mas.to/tags/GinnieSprings" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GinnieSprings</span></a> losing precious <a href="https://mas.to/tags/water" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>water</span></a>, but the water that does remain is <a href="https://mas.to/tags/polluted" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>polluted</span></a> by excessive nutrients from nearby <a href="https://mas.to/tags/agriculture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>agriculture</span></a>. <a href="https://mas.to/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a>, which owns <a href="https://mas.to/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a>, <a href="https://mas.to/tags/ArrowheadWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ArrowheadWater</span></a>, <a href="https://mas.to/tags/DeerParkSpringWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DeerParkSpringWater</span></a> and more, wants to compound the <a href="https://mas.to/tags/crisis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>crisis</span></a> by drawing more than a million gallons per day, putting Ginnie Springs at risk.</p><p>With BlueTriton's plan to pull nearly double the amount of water from the spring than in the past, Ginnie Springs could decline to unsustainable levels.</p><p>4/6</p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>Are ‘<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ForeverChemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ForeverChemicals</span></a>’ In Your Favorite Sparkling Water? Here’s What to Know</p><p>Many brands have <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFAS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFAS</span></a> levels of more than 1 part per trillion, exceeding the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Environmental" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Environmental</span></a> Working Group's recommendation.</p><p>By Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner<br>Published on April 28, 2024</p><p> "Bottled and canned water is often considered a healthier or safer option, thanks to purification and processing. But that may not necessarily be the case. In 2020, Consumer Reports ran a study to determine PFAS levels in 47 bottled waters, including 35 noncarbonated and 12 carbonated samples. Many of the carbonated waters had PFAS in them."</p><p><a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/pfas-in-sparkling-water-8640113" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">foodandwine.com/pfas-in-sparkl</span><span class="invisible">ing-water-8640113</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFAS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFAS</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFOS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFOS</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterPollution</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFASPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFASPollution</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFOA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFOA</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PTFE" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PTFE</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Wildlife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Wildlife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Cancer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Cancer</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Contamination" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Contamination</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Chemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Chemicals</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Environment" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Environment</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FoodPackaging" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FoodPackaging</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Plastics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Plastics</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FireFightingFoam" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FireFightingFoam</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Firefighters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Firefighters</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Health" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Health</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Mining" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Mining</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Lubricants" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Lubricants</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Electronics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Electronics</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Cosmetics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Cosmetics</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFNA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFNA</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFHxS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFHxS</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFB" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PFB</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GenXChemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GenXChemicals</span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Toxic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Toxic</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DowChemical" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DowChemical</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DuPont" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DuPont</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/3M" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>3M</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BASF" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BASF</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Teflon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Teflon</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RainWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RainWater</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DrinkingWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DrinkingWater</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LocalActivism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>LocalActivism</span></a> does work! A couple of years ago, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> tried to double their extraction in my town during a time of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SevereDrought" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SevereDrought</span></a> in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a>. Myself and my neighbors fought back -- with maps of the aquifers showing how everything was connected -- and how <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigWater</span></a> tried to alter the maps to reflect their interests! Always keep in mind -- the more a corporation *sponsors* local causes, the more they have to be accountable for. It's usually <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GuiltMoney" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GuiltMoney</span></a> designed to skew the public in their favor!</p><p>Poland Spring withdraws request to extract more water in Hollis after residents object</p><p>By David Dahl<br>September 9, 2022</p><p>The request came as Hollis and the rest of Maine suffered a drought. Townspeople expressed their outrage at public meetings. </p><p><a href="https://themainemonitor.org/poland-spring-withdraws-request-to-extract-more-water-in-hollis-after-residents-object/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">themainemonitor.org/poland-spr</span><span class="invisible">ing-withdraws-request-to-extract-more-water-in-hollis-after-residents-object/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ClimateChange" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ClimateChange</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CorporateColonialism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CorporateColonialism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterExtraction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterExtraction</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>Inside <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a>’s Hidden Attack on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterRules" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterRules</span></a> It Didn’t Like</p><p>By Hiroko Tabuchi | Oct. 24, 2023 | New York Times</p><p>"When <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a> lawmakers tried to rein in large-scale access to the state’s <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/freshwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>freshwater</span></a> this year, the effort initially gained momentum. The state had just emerged from <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/drought" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>drought</span></a>, and many Mainers were sympathetic to protecting their snow-fed <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/lakes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>lakes</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/streams" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>streams</span></a>.</p><p>“Then a <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WallStreet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WallStreet</span></a>-backed giant called <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a> stepped in.</p><p>“BlueTriton isn’t a household name, but its products are. Americans today buy more bottled water than any other packaged drink, and BlueTriton owns many of the nation’s biggest brands, including Poland Spring, named after a natural spring in Maine that ran dry decades ago.</p><p>“Maine’s bill threatened BlueTriton’s access to the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/groundwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>groundwater</span></a> it bottles and sells. The legislation had already gotten a majority vote on the committee and was headed toward the full Legislature, when a lobbyist for BlueTriton proposed an amendment that would gut the entire bill.</p><p>“'Strike everything,' starts the proposed amendment, which was written in a Word document that contained a digital signature showing that it had been created by Elizabeth M. Frazier, who represents BlueTriton and is one of the most influential <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/lobbyists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>lobbyists</span></a> in Maine. The document was e-mailed by Ms. Frazier to lawmakers in the days after the committee vote.</p><p>“After BlueTriton’s intervention, the committee pulled the bill back. The company’s actions, which haven’t previously been reported, were described to The New York Times by three state legislators. The Times also reviewed several of the e-mails sent by Ms. Frazier as well as the Word document.</p><p>“'We couldn’t believe it. Their amendment strikes the entire bill,' said Christopher Kessler, a Democratic state representative who represents South Portland and a committee member who voted to advance the bill. 'Because all this happened behind closed doors, the public doesn’t know that Poland Spring stalled the process.'</p><p>“Bottlers have faced increasing scrutiny for the millions of throwaway <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/plastic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>plastic</span></a> bottles they produce, the marketing message that their products are safer or healthier than tap water, and for a business model in which they buy freshwater, often at low cost, only to sell it back to the public at much higher prices.</p><p>“And while the bottled-water business doesn’t use nearly as much groundwater as the nation’s thirstiest industries, like agriculture, the pressure on bottlers is building as awareness grows of the stress that intensive pumping can place on local water supplies. A Times investigation this year revealed that many of the aquifers that supply 90% of the nation’s water systems are being severely depleted as overuse and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/GlobalWarming" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GlobalWarming</span></a> transform fragile <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ecosystems" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ecosystems</span></a>.</p><p>“BlueTriton has been caught up in issues of local opposition and water use, and not only in Maine. The company also is fighting for access to water sources in numerous states, including <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Michigan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Michigan</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Colorado" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Colorado</span></a> and others.</p><p>“In response to detailed questions, BlueTriton on Monday pointed The Times to a new page on its corporate website. 'After thoughtful consideration, BlueTriton opposes the proposed legislation,' the page says, because the bill 'would make it unaffordable for any large-scale water purchaser, including Poland Spring, to invest in infrastructure and operations.'</p><p>“Ms. Frazier didn’t respond to detailed questions.</p><p>“Groundwater use is regulated by states, not the federal government, which means there is little national coordination, monitoring or management of a vital natural resource. Maine’s bill seeks, among other things, to put a seven-year limit on contracts for large-scale freshwater pumping by corporations that ship water out of Maine, and to make the deals subject to local approval. That would block BlueTriton’s current efforts to lock in contracts up to 45 years long for pumping water.</p><p>“'We couldn’t believe it,' State Representative Christopher Kessler said of the lobbying effort.</p><p>“Industries and other interest groups routinely try to influence lawmaking, and there has been no suggestion that Ms. Frazier violated any rules. But it seemed 'unusual procedurally' for a corporation to propose rewriting an entire bill after it had already advanced within the Legislature, said Anthony Moffa, associate professor at the University of Maine School of Law.</p><p>“State senator Mark Lawrence, a Democrat who heads the committee considering the bill, said the committee would consider amendments proposed by any interested person or party. In Maine, 'a lot of the legislation that’s proposed is written by lobbyists, companies, different people like that,' he said.</p><p>“Mr. Lawrence also said that, at the same time the amendment was proposed, several members had begun to express fresh concerns that the State Legislature would be setting overly stringent curbs on contracts.</p><p>“BlueTriton finds itself pitted against local water boards, environmentalists and other groups across the country.</p><p>“In Colorado, environmental groups have been battling a 10-year contract that BlueTriton renewed with a semi-arid county to pump water from the Upper Arkansas River Basin, a region affected by historic drought.</p><p>“In <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/California" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>California</span></a>, BlueTriton has publicly criticized and vowed to fight a cease-and-desist order issued by the state’s water board to stop diverting millions of gallons of water from a spring in San Bernardino County.</p><p>“In Michigan, lawmakers have proposed legislation that would close a loophole that enables BlueTriton and other commercial water users to pump water from the protected Great Lakes watershed. Known as the 'bottled-water loophole,' it allows for water to be used this way if it’s in containers that are 5.7 gallons or less.</p><p>“On its new corporate page, BlueTriton said 'there is no evidence of adverse impacts to the aquifer' in Colorado, and that California’s ruling 'negatively impacts every water agency and farmer in California that relies on groundwater, and in doing so, indirectly harms every Californian.'</p><p>“BlueTriton is a major presence in Maine, drawing water from eight locations around the state. It is currently trying to lock in a new contract of up to 45 years to pump water in Lincoln a former mill town.</p><p>“That would be BlueTriton’s second decades-long contract in the state, the kind of deals that would run afoul of the State Legislature’s proposed 7-year cap. The company’s pursuit of these deals, and the uncertainties of how climate change may affect Maine’s water supplies in the future, is what inspired the legislation, said Margaret M. O’Neil, the Democratic state legislator who introduced the bill.</p><p>“'We’re seeing our communities get locked into these contracts that are going to last, basically, the rest of my lifetime,' which is too risky, she said, considering climate uncertainties.</p><p>“In 2016-17 and in 2020-22, Maine experienced significant drought, followed by wet years. The state has also started seeing what scientists call 'snow drought.' As winters warm because of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ClimateChange" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ClimateChange</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/snowpack" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>snowpack</span></a> and groundwater recharge can dwindle.</p><p>“John Mullaney, a hydrologist with the USGS's New England Water Science Center, said that a warming climate meant Maine was likely to experience more variability, with stronger rains but also worsening drought. 'The question is, what will we be able to do in 50 years,' he said. 'There might be changes that need to be made, including reducing groundwater extraction.'</p><p>“Industry groups emphasize that Maine still has ample groundwater and that bottled water accounts for only a small portion of its use compared to practices like irrigation. They also stress bottled water’s value in emergencies when drinking water is disrupted.</p><p>“And in Maine, BlueTriton has a powerful local ally: local water utilities, which say the revenue generated by selling water to bottlers helps keep costs down for everyone else.</p><p>“'Turning away a customer that’s seeking to pay money to the utility because of an alleged problem with extraction would be contrary' to ratepayers’ interests, said Roger Crouse, a board member at the Maine Water Utilities Association. 'If they have a contract that could be expiring in seven years, and the math doesn’t work out, they’re going to have to invest their money somewhere else.'</p><p>“Still, hydrologists warn that bottled water should not be discounted as an additional strain on aquifers and watersheds, as well as on residential wells. Last month, the US Geological Survey began its first-ever study of how the activities of the bottled water industry result in changes to groundwater levels, spring flows and water quality. 'Withdrawals, no matter what the use, influence movement of groundwater,' Cheryl Dieter, a hydrologist who is leading the study, said in an interview.</p><p>“BlueTriton itself is a creation of Wall Street. It is owned by the private equity funds One Rock Capital Partners and Metropoulos & Co., which paid $4.3 billion in 2021 to buy Nestlé’s North American bottled-water business.</p><p>“In Maine, some neighbors of BlueTriton, like Natalie DiPentino, are skeptical of the company for more personal reasons.</p><p>“Ms. DiPentino, who lives near Lincoln, can’t prove it but wonders if pumping by Poland Spring contributed to a crisis in her home during a drought in 2017, when her well ran dry along with those of several neighbors. Her family had to haul buckets of river water to flush the toilet, she said. Stores nearby ran out of bottled water.</p><p>“After learning about BlueTriton’s proposed 45-year contract at its Lincoln facility, she led calls for a public hearing, arguing that deals were being cut behind closed doors and that Poland Spring would be paying too little, $15,000 a month, for millions of gallons of water. 'You don’t know how badly you need water until you don’t have it in your house,' she said.</p><p>“The hearing she sought is now scheduled for next month."</p><p>Full article:<br><a href="https://waterwatch.org/inside-poland-springs-hidden-attack-on-water-rules-it-didnt-like-nyt-102423/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">waterwatch.org/inside-poland-s</span><span class="invisible">prings-hidden-attack-on-water-rules-it-didnt-like-nyt-102423/</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterCrisis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterCrisis</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigWater</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterRights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterRights</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>[Paywall] Inside <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a>'s Hidden Attack on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterRules" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterRules</span></a> It Didn’t Like</p><p>When <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a> lawmakers tried to tighten regulations on large-scale access to water, the brand’s little-known parent company set out to rewrite the rules.<br> <br>October 24, 2023</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/10/24/climate/maine-water-laws-blue-triton-poland-spring.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5Ew.Ix7M.e_7JjYg0Itgq&smid=url-share&fbclid=IwAR1ftet3ATED2EuM72QV5DuN5oK9HotUuB84Om6KJ49VScJVS54KGyQD53k" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">nytimes.com/interactive/2023/1</span><span class="invisible">0/24/climate/maine-water-laws-blue-triton-poland-spring.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5Ew.Ix7M.e_7JjYg0Itgq&smid=url-share&fbclid=IwAR1ftet3ATED2EuM72QV5DuN5oK9HotUuB84Om6KJ49VScJVS54KGyQD53k</span></a> </p><p>Archived version:<br><a href="https://archive.ph/7bI9V" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">archive.ph/7bI9V</span><span class="invisible"></span></a><br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigWater</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterCrisis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterCrisis</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Nestle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Nestle</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p>Threat of massive drinking <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterCrisis" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterCrisis</span></a> looms over American regions: ‘There will be parts of the U.S. that run out’</p><p>Story by Wes Stenzel, November 27, 2023</p><p>"A new study from The New York Times has revealed that substantial, consistent damage is being done to the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/groundwater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>groundwater</span></a> supply in the United States, which has massive negative implications for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/agriculture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>agriculture</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DrinkingWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>DrinkingWater</span></a>, construction, and more. </p><p>"What’s happening?</p><p>"In the past four decades, more than half of all American groundwater sites have been substantially depleted, as more water has been taken out than replenished naturally. </p><p>"Additionally, 40 percent of all locations have hit an all-time low.</p><p>"Pumping out groundwater disrupts layers of different substances below the Earth’s surface, as the ground can settle into the area where the water is taken out and take up space where it would ordinarily replenish.</p><p>"The New York Times sees a lack of regulation as one of the biggest issues regarding groundwater use. Additionally, The Times claims there is very little significant research and data tracking on a countrywide scale. </p><p>"Why is groundwater use important?</p><p>"Groundwater is essential to agriculture, and the depletion of the resource could fundamentally disrupt crop yields in the coming years in states such as Kansas, where the natural groundwater cannot support the agricultural industry anymore, according to The Times. Meanwhile, more arid states like California, Texas, and Utah are seeing widespread infrastructural damage to roads and the ground due to overpumping. Phoenix does not have enough groundwater in certain areas to construct new homes." </p><p><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/threat-of-massive-drinking-water-crisis-looms-over-american-regions-there-will-be-parts-of-the-u-s-that-run-out/ar-AA1gYFLz?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=971c8e943db148f9f5b2886e53bb3cf4&ei=6" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">msn.com/en-us/weather/topstori</span><span class="invisible">es/threat-of-massive-drinking-water-crisis-looms-over-american-regions-there-will-be-parts-of-the-u-s-that-run-out/ar-AA1gYFLz?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=971c8e943db148f9f5b2886e53bb3cf4&ei=6</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterExtraction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterExtraction</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Nestle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Nestle</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigWater</span></a></p>
Carolleisa<p>“…the pressure on bottlers is building as awareness grows of the stress that intensive pumping can place on local water supplies. A Times investigation this year revealed that many of the aquifers that supply 90 percent of the nation’s water systems are being severely depleted as overuse and global warming transform fragile ecosystems. <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/10/24/climate/maine-water-laws-blue-triton-poland-spring.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">nytimes.com/interactive/2023/1</span><span class="invisible">0/24/climate/maine-water-laws-blue-triton-poland-spring.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare</span></a></p>
DoomsdaysCW<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mstdn.social/@primonatura" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>primonatura</span></a></span> And water extraction by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigWater" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigWater</span></a> (like <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PolandSpring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>PolandSpring</span></a> / <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Nestle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Nestle</span></a> / <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BlueTriton" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BlueTriton</span></a>) only makes the arsenic levels worse!<br><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WaterIsLife</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Maine</span></a></p>
Cory DoctorowLong thread/6
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