Nearly a year ago to the date Columbia River fishing tribes rallied with allies at the Oregon State capitol to tell Governor Brown to stop the Nestlé bottling proposal. It is time to remind her that we aren’t going away-she needs to respect the will of Hood River county voters and the Tribes by stopping the Nestle bottling proposal.
Last May, we celebrated our momentous victory when the Hood River County Water Protection Measure passed with the support of 69 percent of voters, banning commercial water bottling countywide. But the fight isn’t over yet.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) is still moving forward with the water exchange application process intended to make state water resources available to Nestlé.
Next week, state legislators will meet in Salem for their Legislative Days from Wednesday the 21st to Friday. It’s the perfect opportunity to have our voices heard. Of course, we’re not the only ones upset about this issue.
Beginning Monday, Anna Mae Leonard will start fasting without food or water for five full days in response to the ODFW ignoring the wishes of the Columbia River fishing Tribes to protect increasingly scarce natural resources from Nestlé. Anna Mae will be resolute in her determination to bring light to this important message, remaining on the state capitol steps from sunrise to sunset, Monday to Friday.
We need to stand in solidarity with Anna Mae and the indigenous tribes! Here are the four ways you can get involved:
- Come show your support for Anna Mae and her sacrifices for this important cause in Salem anytime next Monday to Friday from sunrise to sundown. Bring signs targeting Governor Brown asking her to tell ODFW to pull out of the water exchange process. And please show Anna Mae Leonard the respect she deserves.
- The Keep Nestle Out of the Gorge coalition groups and the Local Water Alliance are showing solidarity by hosting a press conference on Wednesday at the capitol and will be joined by tribal fishing people as well as citizens from the Gorge and throughout Oregon. Come show your support for this powerful moment in this campaign against Nestlé at the press conference on Wednesday the 21st at 10:30am on the state capitol steps (900 Court St. Salem, OR). Signs will be provided, feel free to bring your own sign asking Gov. Brown to Say No to Nestlé.
- If you can’t make it to Salem next week, you can still support the week of action by raising visibility on this urgent issue and spread the message through social media. Share photos posted by Food & Water Watch, the Local Water Alliance, and Bark share articles published about the week’s events, and tell your friends that a woman is FASTING FOR FIVE DAYS in response to this issue.
- Call (503-378-4582) and/or email Governor Brown’s to let her know that you expect her to respect the will of Hood River County voters and to respect the Columbia River fishing Tribes by telling ODFW to stop its water exchange proposal for Nestle.
Please spread the word and tell your friends and family about this; the more people who know that the Hood County Water Protection Measure didn’t stop ODFW or Nestlé, the more people will pressure Governor Brown to use her power to stop them.
Keep Nestle Out Of The Gorge 