EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A judge says the state of Oregon should deny a company’s request for a permit to pump more than 21 million gallons of water a day from the McKenzie River for sale to south Lake County.
State administrative judge James Han ruled against Willamette Water Co. last Friday, saying the company’s bid was speculative in that it had no contracts to sell water and had not shown it will obtain them in the future.
His ruling now goes to the Oregon Water Resources Commission, which can issue or deny the permit application.
The Register-Guard reports (http://bit.ly/JxFUFK ) the company has been trying since 2008 to win a permit from the Oregon Water Resources Department.
A company official declined to comment Monday.
