To be fair, this should be a prime example of a case where free market types AND those that believe in strong public protection of resources can agree that it stinks. There can be no libertarian defense of this behavior. It is a corrupted government process keeping a company from paying the true market price for the resources it is using. All actors in this case are warping the process for the enrichment of the company and lining the pockets of a few key players.
Also, pulling water out of a desert watershed, trucking it up to Canada, to ship it back down to the US to sell in little plastic bottles is the height of corporate capitalist insanity.
That's why I align myself with neither side strongly. There are balances of power and checks required. On the market, on business and monied interests, on government (and various branches, agencies, etc.).
Almost like an engineering problem where you want to ensure no one process overwhelms all others.
Also, pulling water out of a desert watershed, trucking it up to Canada, to ship it back down to the US to sell in little plastic bottles is the height of corporate capitalist insanity.