February 20, 2002

The Honorable Arthur D. Hershey

Chairman, Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

3157 Limestone Road

Cochranville, PA 19330

Dear Chairman Hershey:

On behalf of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), I urge you and your committee to carefully review the implications of House Bill 2230 before taking action. In its current form, HB 2230 will have serious negative effects on a wide array of industries operating in Pennsylvania, including bottled water companies.

IBWA is the trade association representing the bottled water industry. Founded in 1958, IBWA member companies account for more than 80 percent of all bottled water sales in the U.S. The association membership includes domestic and international bottlers, distributors, and suppliers.

IBWA is dedicated to the responsible management of renewable groundwater resources by using sound science and environmental stewardship. IBWA supports comprehensive water resource management that regulates both the quality and quantity of groundwater, and balances the interests and rights of those using the resource today and in the future. I have attached IBWA’s policy paper on Groundwater Resource Management. This document represents the agreed upon parameters IBWA and its members use to evaluate groundwater policy and its implications.

HB 2230 is a step backward in Pennsylvania groundwater resource management practices. This bill will devolve groundwater regulation from a broader, more comprehensive approach to one of localized views and fractured approaches. IBWA acknowledges that local governments should be integrally involved in the regulation of groundwater. However, underground water sources do not respect man-made political boundaries and must therefore be regulated in a regional or basin-wide manner.

The Pennsylvania Bottled Water Association has also commented on HB 2230. IBWA concurs with those comments and I have attached them for your reference.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

M. Troy Flanagan

IBWA Director

Government Relations

cc: House Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy

Enclosures