A citizens group is accusing a state agency of withholding public information related to Nestle Waters North America's search for new well sites to supply its controversial water bottling operation near Big Rapids.

The Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation filed a Freedom of Information Act request on Oct. 13 asking the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for any information the agency had on Nestle's plans for new or proposed water wells anywhere in Michigan.

After requiring MCWC to pay for state records, the DEQ on Oct. 26 told the group the agency had no information on new wells Nestle was proposing. The only records the DEQ sent the group related to a wastewater discharge permit at Nestle's Ice Mountain bottling facility in Stanwood, said Jim Olson, an attorney for MCWC.

The DEQ failed to give the group a copy of an Aug. 31 report from Nestle's engineers outlining the Swiss-based firm's plan to sink a spring water well near the Osceola County community of Evart. The agency didn't acknowledge the existence of that report even though state records showed Nestle had asked the DEQ to make a ruling on the company's proposed well near Evart.