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A coalition of environmental groups and neighborhood associations launched a region-wide boycott Friday against Lowe's Companies Inc. to protest the home improvement giant's plans to build a new store over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone.
About 20 people demonstrated near a Lowe's store at Interstate 35 and Stassney Lane, holding signs and distributing leaflets that urged passing drivers not to shop at Lowe's during the holiday season.
The boycotters intend to pressure the company to abandon its plan to build a 160,000-square-foot store between Brodie Lane and MoPac Boulevard, which would pose a threat to the quality of the aquifer, activists said.
"Lowe's is not going to be able to do business without the community knowing the price they're asking the community to pay," said Sunset Valley Mayor Terry Cowan.
Environmental groups said Lowe's new store would violate a city ordinance that allows only 15 percent of a parcel in the aquifer's recharge zone to be covered by buildings, parking lots and other impermeable cover.
The planned store would cover 40 percent of the plot, which is in compliance with the rules of the city of Sunset Valley, where the land was originally located before Sunset Valley gave it to Austin.
Lowe's spokeswoman Jennifer Stanbery said the company is complying with all federal, state and local regulations to protect the aquifer.
"Lowe's is committed to maintaining the integrity of this environmentally sensitive area," she said.
Armed with a bill authored by Sen. Jeff Wentworth of San Antonio that would put the controversial store within the jurisdiction of Travis County, Lowe's sued the city of Austin, which is now considering a settlement. A public hearing about the proposed settlement is scheduled for Dec. 11.
Mike Blizzard, lobbyist and spokesman for the coalition, said the boycott will continue even if the City Council agrees to let Lowe's build the store.
"We're going to continue to pressure Lowe's to do the right thing and to move off the aquifer," Blizzard said.
Energized by the recent campaign that succeeded in forcing Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to abandon its project to build a supercenter in Southwest Austin, protesters now believe they have the support of the entire community in their fight against Lowe's.
"Every environmental group has come out against this," Cowan said. "Every neighborhood association is against this. Everybody has come out against this."
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