Welcome to Save Our Groundwater!

2007-09-20T16:15:00.035-04:00

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. More than six years later, we're still holding the line.

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

Check SOG's Calendar for the schedule of bankruptcy hearings; all are open to the public

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 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, originally scheduled for June 30, 2008 is now scheduled for September 29, 2008.

Roswell Commercial Mortgage, LLC, has retained James R. St. Jean Auctioneers to hold the property auction at 155 Old Turnpike Road (Route 4), Nottingham. Check the link below for updates.

SOG is consulting with its attorneys about this latest development. Thank you to all who have assisted with information...keep those emails coming. We will post updates as available.

Auction details and updates: click here

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 appeal concerning the Dept. of Environmental Services' Water Council decision to reject the organization's appeal on behalf of its members 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. Read on:

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