Thank You, General Assembly!
The N.C. Water Rights Coalition sincerely thanks the people of Stanly County and the citizens of North Carolina who supported and helped in the passing of a bill directing the state’s Environmental Review Commission to study the impact of granting Alcoa’s request for renewal of a 50-year license to control the water and for a monopoly on the generation of hydroelectric power from the Yadkin River (the “Yadkin Hydroelectric Project”).
In 1920, Congress enacted the Federal Water Power Act. The guiding assumption behind the Federal Power Act (as the law is now known) was that the major rivers of the United States belong to the people, including the hydroelectric power generated from our rivers. This law, based on principles championed by President Theodore Roosevelt over one hundred years ago, has been upheld throughout more than 75 years of litigation.
We celebrate the efforts of the members of the N.C. General Assembly, who passed the bill UNANIMOUSLY in the North Carolina House and Senate. Those votes, from both parties representing all areas of the state, clearly indicated that our legislators believe water rights are an important statewide issue worthy of review. Thank you, state leaders, for this important step to protect our rights to the waters of the Yadkin.
We will keep you updated about the commission’s activities in the future and how you can help. To learn more about how the N.C. Water Rights Coalition is working towards regaining our water rights, visit www.ncwaterrights.org.
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