A federal judge ruled in 2016 that Nestlé’s permit was still valid because in 1987 the company’s predecessor requested a permit renewal and didn’t receive a response.
Three environmental groups – the Center for Biological Diversity, the Story of Stuff Project and the Courage Campaign Institute – appealed the lower court’s decision in November 2016. The settlement means the Forest Service will acquiesce to the main argument made by the conservation groups: that the company cannot continue to use its current permit indefinitely, and that the federal agency needs to finish a complete environmental assessment quickly.