The Alcoa saga continues in the House Public Utilities Committee this morning with a discussion of Senate Bill 967, Creation of Yadkin River Trust.
Bill sponsor Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, (R-Cabarrus), cites an editorial in today’s Charlotte Observer that he claims explains the situation well. He says public water should be used for public benefit not for private benefit unless there are jobs created. Hartsell claims all this little old bill does is create an entity in case the governor gets her way and gets the license and setting up the entity doesn’t cost the state a dime. He says water is the most significant resource we have and we need control of it. The 50 year license is up and it’s over. Hartsell says it’s about the water and that’s it – not about the money although there is a lot of money involved. He claims Alcoa has not been a responsible steward of the water. He tells the fish story and about the man who died, as Rick described. Hartsell’s comments last 20 minutes of the committee’s 50 minute meeting time.
Gene Ellis with Alcoa makes claims that this is a government taking of private property and will cost in excess of $500 million. He says it is not about the control of water – the state already has control and won’t improve the environment around the lake. Alcoa is complying with all requirements. He says PCBs are common in our environment and cites a Harvard study that finds fish in other NC lakes have similar or same levels of pcbs as Badin Lake.
After 5 minutes, committee chair, Rep. Lorene Coates, (D-Rowan), says she allowed him to go over his allocated two minutes since she let Hartsell go a little over. Coates says they probably will not vote on this today. She is planning to have a meeting on Monday at 5:00. No doubt to see what happens with the other Yadkin River Bill. (for more see this post and click here for the video).
Speakers for the bill say all it does is set up a mechanism to move forward if the governor is successful in wrestling the license away from Alcoa.
Residents around the lake oppose the government takeover and say it’s about the government taking the land and cite several misstatements by Hartsell and Sec of Commerce, Keith Crisco.
In a convoluted free market, founding father principle argument in favor of the government takeover, Roger Dick, native of Stanley County, says people should have control of the water, monopolies interfere with the free market and Alcoa has a monopoly. Other states who have maintained their water rights haven’t lost manufacturing. If Alcoa wants to use the water they should provide jobs. He wants his government to protect those assets and make the money and benefit this state.
The committee adjourns without a vote and will continue the discussion on Monday at 5:00. Unless of course Hartsell can get his other bill, HB1099, passed before then.
