By Jay Almond, News Editor
Sunday, May 11, 2008
May 12, 2008 11:36 am
—
Alcoa Power Generating Inc. (APGI) on Friday withdrew its application for a water quality certificate for the Yadkin Hydroelectric Project.
That action, taken at the request of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), has stalled relicensing of the Yadkin Project and given the N.C. Division of Water Quality (DWQ) time to respond to reports denouncing the condition of water in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin.
DWQ officials requested Alcoa withdraw the application after documents submitted to them by, and on behalf of, Stanly County leaders and residents pointed to a need for additional research and review of the watershed.
Among other things, the documents included study and report findings prepared by Dr. John H. Rodgers Jr. and the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Clemson University.
The study and related report challenge Alcoa’s contention that water quality in the Yadkin has not suffered as a result of the company’s aluminum smelting operation or hydropower generation.
“Few things are as crucial to North Carolina’s future economic stability and overall prosperity as a clean and adequate water supply,” the Stanly County Board of Commissioners said in a news release.
“We applaud the decision by Alcoa Power Generating, Inc. (APGI) to withdraw its current application for a 401 water quality certificate.”
“That decision will allow APGI adequate time to respond, in the future proceeding, to the concerns already expressed by the Stanly County Commissioners and other concerned citizens across the state that additional environmental studies need to be completed in order to fully examine all the relevant issues arising out of the corporation’s use of the Yadkin River, one of North Carolina’s most valuable natural resources.”
The Yadkin Hydroelectric Project includes the Yadkin River as well as its lakes and tributaries in Stanly, Davidson, Montgomery and Rowan counties in the Central Piedmont of North Carolina.
For APGI, the request was met with compliance and a consensus that state officials are serving water users by reviewing the latest reports.
“We decided that withdrawing our application and reapplying was the right thing to do,” APGI’s licensing and property manager, Gene Ellis said.
“The additional time will ensure that all factors have been appropriately considered before a new water quality certificate is issued.
By federal law, the state was required to act on the APGI application by May 9.
That deadline, however, did not allow state officials sufficient time to thoroughly address all public input, comments and data provided them.
The recent revocation follows similar previous actions by the state in light of incomplete files required to move forward.
APGI originally applied for a water quality certificate on May 10, 2007.
DWQ issued them such a certificate Nov. 17, 2008, but revoked it last month after discovering a required legal notice was not published.
In response, state officials published the required notice and opened the 15-day comment period, which ended May 2.
It was during that time new data was submitted that ultimately led to the May 9 application withdrawal request.
With water quality on the Yadkin coming under scrutiny, APGI officials remain steadfast that the certificate will be issued and a 50-year license will be granted.
“We expect the state to conduct a timely review of our new application and issue a new water quality certificate within the next several months,” Ellis said.
Local government leaders expect a new application to be filed, but they also anticipate particular attention to detail as well as considerations of big picture ramifications the process and subsequent actions will have.
“It is understood that APGI will be re-filing a new application since the State revoked the 401 water quality certificate it earlier issued in connection with the withdrawn application,” Stanly County officials said.
“Stanly County urges all parties involved to use extreme caution and apply thoroughness to these reports, as we progress through the certification process.”
Jay Almond can be contacted by email at snaponline21@carolina.rr.com.
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