Welcome to Save Our Groundwater!

2007-09-20T16:15:00.059-04:00

Save Our Groundwater (SOG) is a New Hampshire Seacoast-area citizens action organization dedicated to protecting water in the public trust. We formed in 2001 in response to a bottled water company's application to take more than 400,000 gallons/day from the aquifer underlying our rural communities. Almost nine years later, we're still holding the line.

Latest headlines:
Delay sought in USA Springs bankruptcy sale - 11/4/09
Next chapter unveils in USA Springs saga - 10/23/09
Due diligence required in bottling plant revival - 10/15/09
New life for bottling plant from 'Newco'? - 10/13/09
Potential savior emerges for USA Springs 10/9/09
USA Springs creditors launch financing probe 7/17/09
USA Springs isn't dead yet 4/16/09
Court gives USA Springs hearing to challenge Chapter 7 ruling 4/8/09
How close to an end is the saga of USA Springs? 4/3/09
Click to read more...

News: 3/22/10 - View "The Story of Bottled Water" online--6 minutes that shows you why we don't need the stuff.

News: 4/15/09 - Federal bankruptcy court to hold emergency hearing for reconsideration on decision to convert USA Springs, Inc. to Chapter 7, dissolution and sale of assets. Click here to learn more.

News: 3/21/09 - New Hampshire Groundwater Commission seeking public comment by June 30
The Groundwater Commission, formed by Senate Bill 155, is seeking public comment on issues relating to groundwater as part of its process for preparing a final report to the state legislature in November 2009. Regional meetings are being held throughout the state to provide the public with an opportunity to meet the Commission and comment; click here for more information.

News: 11/24/08 - SOG Board Member Bill McCann appointed to state's Groundwater Study Commission.
SOG is delighted to announce that Gov. Lynch recently appointed Bill to the Commission to Study Issues Relative to Groundwater Withdrawals. Click the link above to read the news release.

News: 9/29/08 - USA Springs, Inc.'s 9/29 property foreclosure auction will be postponed
SOG spoke with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manchester this morning and learned that the foreclosure auction would need to be approved by the court as an "automatic stay" exists on this action. Since the court has not issued any approval, there will be no auction. The auctioneer's website was incorrect when we last checked it @ 9:45 a.m. Read the latest news stories - click here.

News: 9/28/08 - USA Springs, Inc.'s 9/29 property foreclosure auction is on
As of today, the foreclosure auction of USA Springs, Inc.'s three properties along Route 4 is scheduled to go forward.

Roswell Commercial Mortgage, LLC, one of USA Springs, Inc.'s money lenders, foreclosed on the company in June 2008, retaining James R. St. Jean Auctioneers to hold the property auction.

The auction, open to the public, will be held at 155 Old Turnpike Road (Route 4), Nottingham (just after the second Lincoln Drive entrance as you head west).

Since the company's bankruptcy proceedings are still in process at the federal court in Manchester, we encourage you to check the auctioneer's website for any last minute updates: click here

News: 9/11/08 - Town of Barrington wins Wetlands Council appeal in USA Springs, Inc. case
The Town of Barrington won its long-standing appeal of the USA Springs, Inc. 2005 wetlands permit issued by the Dept. of Environmental Services (DES). The Town has long contended that the groundwater pumping from the water bottling company would cause a net loss to its nearby prime wetlands.

Prime wetlands are a local option assigned by a municipality per RSA 482-A:15 and Chapter Env-WT 700 of the Administrative Rules. This special designation involves careful evaluation and mapping of the town's wetlands and voter approval to create this special category of protected wetlands. DES must review and sign off on the town's prime wetlands designation.

The Wetlands Council, an DES appeals board, returned a decision and order that "finds and concludes that DES has not set forth the clear and convincing evidence it used to support its conclusion that such an impact will not result in the significant net loss of any of the values set forth in RSA 482-A:1. The Council granted Barrington's appeal and order DES to provide the evidence.

Thank you Barrington residents! Your foresight in tackling this important issue and hiring an environmental attorney to pursue is a model for all New Hampshire towns.

The town's case number is 07-02 WtC Town of Barrington Appeal. Read the details at the DES Appeals webpage: click here

News: 7/1/08 - Marika Wilde, SOG Board member, honored as Barrington's "Volunteer of the Year"
Thank you, Marika, for your many years of service and dedication to the environment and our community! A SOG participant since our beginning in 2001, Marika is a member of the Board of Directors and serves as the editor of the Groundwater Times in addition to her many other activities protecting and celebrating healthy ecosystems.

July 1, 2008 Foster's Daily Democrat: Barrington names top volunteer

News: 6/27/08 - USA Springs, Inc. files for bankruptcy

USA Springs, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection June 27, 2008 at the federal court in Manchester. The action delays the foreclosure auction by 90 days and provides an opportunity for the company to reorganize. Check SOG's Calendar for the schedule of bankruptcy hearings; all are open to the public.

Check SOG's In the Media for the latest news stories related to this case.

7/2/08 Foster's Daily Democrat: USA Springs files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization
This story contains two inaccuracies: 1) SOG has not made any decision concerning taking action about the company's building permit; and 2) SOG's 2008 NH Supreme Court appeal was regarding the Dept. of Environmental Services' approval of USA Springs, Inc. as a "New Source of Bottled Water."

7/3/08 Foster's Daily Democrat: Chapter 11 is another chapter for USA Springs (editorial)

News: 6/28/08 - USA Springs, Inc. property foreclosure auction postponed for three months
Alert community members wrote to SOG about a legal notice published Mon., June 9, 2008 in the Union Leader announcing a June 30 property foreclosure against Garrison Place Real Estate Investment Trust, the entity that owns the land for the USA Springs, Inc. water bottling plant.

On June 27, USA Springs, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in federal court in Manchester, postponing creditor actions by three months.

The auction is now scheduled for September 29, 2008.

NH RSA 479 "Mortgages of Realty" (foreclosure proceedings begin at 479:19)

6/9/08 Foreclosure Notice: download

6/10/08 Notice received by Town of Barrington (twelve pages): download

6/12/08 Foster's Daily Democrat: USA Springs to sell 100 acre parcel

6/13/08 Union Leader: Water-bottling plant up for foreclosure auction (Page A6): Read more...

6/16/08 Foster's Daily Democrat: Foreclosure: a maneuver or a real threat? (Editorial)

6/28/08 Foster's Daily Democrat: Auction of USA Springs postponed for three months

6/28/08 Union Leader: USA Springs' plant auction rescheduled

News: 6/24/08 - NH Supreme Court denies SOG's second appeal
This case was about the Dept. of Environmental Services' Water Council decision to reject SOG's appeal of the state's approval of USA Springs, Inc. as a "New Source of Bottled Water." SOG's attorney Joshua L. Gordon argued that SOG did have the legal standing to bring an appeal. Learn more:
Read SOG's News Release
5/30/08 Foster Daily Democrat: Groundwater group asks court to reverse DES ruling denying group standing in case
Notice of Appeal (Part One): download file
Notice of Appeal (Part Two): download file
9/20/07: Save Our Groundwater (SOG) filed a Motion for Rehearing appealing the NH Dept. of Environmental Services (DES) Water Council decision denying SOG's appeal #05-21 of the "New Sources of Bottled Water" approval granted by DES in the USA Springs, Inc. case .
Download the motion: saveourgroundwater.org/SKMBT_C55007091923180.pdf

News: 3/19/08 - SOG Welcomes Maude Barlow, Canadian Author and Water Justice Activist March 31 at the Portsmouth Public Library
Read the latest news release for the details of Maude's free public presentation and book-signing at the library, testimony at the New Hampshire Citizens Trade Policy Commission in Concord also on Mar. 31 and interview on NHPR's "The Exchange" Apr. 1.

News: 1/30/08 - SOG Board Member Olivia Zink a Union Leader '40 Under 40'

News: 12/12/07 - Save Our Groundwater Testifies Before Congress to Protect Water
View the proceedings of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Domestic Policy hearing on "Assessing the Environmental Risks of the Water Bottling Industry's Extraction of Groundwater"

Nottingham issues building permit to USA Springs, Inc./Garrison Place Real Estate Investment Trust

2007-08-23T21:43:00.001-04:00

7/26/07: The Town of Nottingham issued USA Springs, Inc. a building permit July 26, 2007 despite the fact that four appeals with various state agencies were in process (including one filed with Dept. of Environmental Services Water Council by Nottingham!). The town received a fee of $112,500 for the issuance of the permit.

Save Our Groundwater Meets With DES Commissioner Thomas Burack

2007-06-12T12:24:00.000-04:00

DES Commissioner Thomas Burack invited members of SOG's Board of Directors to meet with him in February 2007. The Board followed up with a March 2007 letter summarizing the concerns that were discussed and inviting him to meet with our members to hear their concerns directly. He accepted our invitation and attended a special SOG members meeting held May 10th. In July 2007, Commissioner Burack sent a lengthy, five-part reply to the concerns raised by SOG members.

Read SOG's March 2007 letter to Commissioner Burack:
/2007_0312_SOGLtr2Burack.pdf

Read Commissioner Burack's July 2007 reply to SOG by downloading the files below:
Part A - July 17, 2007 letter from Commissioner Burack

Part B - July 17, 2007 Application Issues Chart:

Part C - July 17, 2007 Groundwater Law Summary:

Part D - Commissioner Burack's July 17, 2007 Letter to Senator Jackie Cilley and Representative Judith Spang:

Part E - Senate Bill 155 Groundwater Study Commission November 2006 Interim Report:

Save Our Groundwater - Home

Welcome to Save Our Groundwater!

Nottingham issues building permit to USA Springs, Inc./Garrison Place Real Estate Investment Trust

Save Our Groundwater Meets With DES Commissioner Thomas Burack