Could bottled-water venture be more precious than gold?

Okanogan man wants to open bottling plant near proposed open-pit gold mine

By Laura T. Coffey, Journal environmental editor

Call it a showdown over "real liquid assets."

Okanogan County resident Michael "Buffalo" Mazzetti says he's devised a plan to raise the stakes in the battle over a cyanide-leach gold mine proposed in North Central Washington.

The environmental and political activist plans to start a business near Buckhorn Mountain that is both environmentally and economically sustainable: a water-bottling company.

Within the next 12 to 18 months, Mazzetti hopes to start construction of a bottling plant that could provide jobs for Okanogan County residents while protecting Buckhorn Mountain's water quality at the same time.

"This will create a whole economic interest in addition to the environmental interests of protecting Buckhorn Mountain's water quality," Mazzetti said.

Mazzetti says he fears the mountain's water sources are at risk of being polluted for years to come by the Crown Jewel Mine, a project proposed by Houston-based Battle Mountain Gold Co. and Denver-based Crown Resources.

The mine would be the first open-pit gold mine in the state and would rely on cyanide to extract gold from ore. The project involves blasting a 138-acre-wide pit into Buckhorn Mountain, removing 100 feet of the mountaintop.

The Crown Jewel mine would operate 24 hours a day, producing an average of 3,000 tons of ore each day for about eight and a half years. During that time, the mine would employ 144 people and would create another 110 secondary jobs to support the mining activity.

Mazzetti says his water-bottling company could support jobs for a much longer period of time, creating a long-term rather than short -term, boom-and-bust economic benefits for Okanogan County. He also argues on his water-bottle label that 'water is more precious than gold.'

"They propose to use 2,000 gallons of water to produce one ounce of gold," Mazzetti said. "Fold sells for $300 an ounce, so it doesn't take and economist to figure out that even at 50 cents a gallon, the water is more precious than gold."

By selling water in 1-liter bottles, Mazzetti thinks he can make about $3 a gallon.

Despite the fact that the mine is fiercely opposed by environmentalists, Battle Mountain Gold has been successful in receiving the key permits it needs from regulatory agencies. Last November, the state Department of Ecology granted 12 of the 16 water-rights permits sought by Battle Mountain Gold for the mine.

The area has been closed to new water rights for many years. However, Ecology says it based its decision to grant the water rights on Battle Mountain Gold's "stream flow mitigation plan," which was designed by hydraulic consultant Golder Associates Inc. of Redmond.

The mitigation plan involves capturing spring runoff in a reservoir, pumping that water to the top of Buckhorn Mountain, and then using it to augment stream flows in the Toroda Creek in the summer Months.

Environmentalists say the spring runoff that will be captured is needed for flooding wetlands.
"This is a cycle that we are interrupting," Mazzetti said.

Along with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, environmentalists are appealing Ecology's water-rights decisions this week before the Pollution Control Hearings Board in Lacey.
The hearing began Monday and id expected to last two weeks. The environmental groups participating in the hearing are the Okanogan Highlands Alliance, the Washington Environmental Council and the Center for Environmental Law &Policy.

Even if the mine becomes a reality, Mazzetti says he plans to move forward with his water-bottling business near Buckhorn Mountain.

"I'll have a laboratory on site that will monitor and test the water every hour, if necessary," he said. "Hopefully this will raise the stakes."

Mazzetti actually began marketing his bottled water last month under the name Okanogan Highlands Bottling Co. His water is now available in Seattle on Capitol Hill at the Central Co-op Grocery at 12th and Denny, at Rainbow Natural Grocery at 417 15th Ave. E., and in Pioneer Square at 117 S. Main next to the Klondike Gold Rush Museum.

For now, Mazzetti's water is being bottled by Mountain Mist, a company that bottles Mount Rainier artesian water. Mazzetti says he plans to donate 50 percent of all profits to grassroots organizations such as the Okanogan Highlands Alliance.