Lawsuit Filed Challenging Continued Operations Under Expired Forest Service Permit

Environmental groups recently filed a lawsuit alleging that the Forest Service is illegally allowing operations to bottle water on the San Bernardino National Forest after the special use permit for those operations expired.  The water bottling operation, which is conducted by Nestle Waters North America, was initially authorized under a special use permit which expired in 1988.  Nestle has applied to renew its permit, but that application process has not been completed.  The plaintiffs claim that the continued operations are a violation of the Federal Land Policy Management Act because they are not being conducted under a valid, existing permit.  The plaintiffs further claim that the removal of the water is having an environmental impact at the well and tunnel sites associated with the bottling operations as well as on riparian species in a tributary near the operations.  The Forest Service has reportedly asserted that the permit remains in full force and effect according to its terms.