NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release August 12, 2002 Contacts: Terry Swier

231-972-8856

Jim Olson Olson & Bzdok, P.C.: 231-946-0044 Jim Samuels 231-796-8858

Voters say NO to Perrier/Ice Mountain in Mecosta County and Osceola Township

The voters of Mecosta County turned out in record numbers during the primary

to vote on the Ice Mountain (owned by Nestles Waters of America, Inc.,

formerly Perrier/Great Spring Waters of America, Inc.) water controversy.

The question "Shall Amendment #248 to the Mecosta County Zoning Ordinance to

rezone certain property in Mecosta Township from AG, Agricultural, to C-2

Commercial as requested in rezoning request 20-0317 be approved?" Perrier

requested the rezoning of property located at 8 Mile and US 131 in Stanwood.

The zoning ordinance amendment was rejected by a 2 to 1 margin. Terry Swier,

president of Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation and resident of

Mecosta County said, "The no vote made clear that Mecosta County's citizens

do not support Perrier/Great Spring Waters of America, Inc./Nestle Waters of

America, Inc./Ice Mountain's bottling plant nor its bottling of our water

for its profit."

The total votes cast were NO 3,123 and YES 1,521. It was defeated in both

Morton and Mecosta Townships. The number of votes cast in Mecosta Township

were 330 with 200 voting no. In Morton Township 1,034 ballots were cast with

772 voting no. The rezoning was vetoed in all of the Mecosta County

townships.

In January 2001, residents of Mecosta County circulated petitions to obtain

enough signatures to force an election on zoning changes in Mecosta Township

and Morton Township requested by Perrier/Great Spring Waters of America,

Inc./Nestle Waters of America, Inc./Ice Mountain. More than the required

signatures were obtained for both petitions drives.

In Osceola Township opponents obtained 145 signatures, four times the number

needed for an election on the rezoning of property from Open to Industrial

as requested by Perrier/Great Spring Waters of America, Inc./Nestle Waters

of America, Inc. The rezoning was defeated by 83 votes and the amendment to

article 2 to add section 2.18 to add water wells and pipelines was defeated

by 91 votes. Rhonda Huff, vice president of Michigan Citizens for Water

Conservation and resident of Osceola Township said, "I think the outcome of

the vote should send a clear message to our township officials and state

elected officials that the Perrier project is not wanted."

Jim Olson, attorney for Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation, said "This

vote demonstrates that Michigan citizens do not want water sold out from

under them for the sake of private gain, at least not without their consent

through a law passed by the legislature that protects the public trust and

the water needed for existing and future farming, recreation, and business."