SAULT STE. MARIE, MI (MPRN)-- The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians has declared a moratorium on bottled water from Nestle.

The moratorium was announced Monday after the tribe’s board of directors unanimously approved the ban at all tribally owned and operated facilities.

The board called on tribal members to uphold the moratorium. They say they have shared their resolution with other tribes.

Aaron Payment is the chairperson of the Soo Tribe. He says the tribe is opposed to the expanded water withdrawal permit approved for Nestle by the state.

“And it would make sense if Nestle was offering a huge and lucrative return on investment for Michigan to benefit, but it hasn’t been,” he says.

Payment says the tribe is considering expanding the moratorium to include all Nestle products.

In a written statement a spokesperson for Nestle said, “We are disappointed that the Sault Tribe Board of Directors declared this moratorium.”