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<br />SB 967 addresses three key issues associated with relicensing the Yadkin Hydroelectric <br />Project, which is located in Stanly, Davidson, Rowan and Montgomery counties: water <br />control, iob creation and environmental cleanup. <br />SB 967 honors aspects of the Relicensing Settlement Agreement (RSA) negotiated by <br />local government and environmental groups, including water for the City of Albemarle, a <br />comprehensive drought management plan (the "Low Inflow Protocol"), water quality <br />improvements for the Yadkin, and new and expanded public recreation facilities. <br />However, the Trust will provide more benefits to North Carolina state residents than what <br />the RSA proposes, including: <br />An assurance that the water of the Yadkin, which the public owns, <br />will be valued for the benefit of all North Carolinians rather than <br />exploited for profit. Under current law, should Alcoa receive a 50- <br />year license issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission <br />(FERC) for the Project, it could sell the license for profit at any time <br />to any company, including foreign interests, and all terms and power <br />of the license for the Project would remain unchanged for its 50-year <br />duration. <br />Priority consideration to local needs, with the intent of restoring and <br />improving the environmental, economic and job considerations in <br />and around the Yadkin River Basin. <br />Power generated from the Project will be used for the benefit of the <br />citizens of North Carolina, not a multinational company answerable <br />to no one in North Carolina. <br />All Alcoa properties in Stanly County will be tested for public health <br />purposes. <br />Groups on record as opposing APGI's operation of the Project include The North <br />Carolina Water Rights the Stanly, Davidson, Randolph, Iredell, Anson, Cabarrus and <br />Union County Boards of Commissioners, as well as the Centralina Council of <br />Governments. The Yadkin Riverkeeper and the N.C. Wildlife Federation have endorsed <br />the State Trust Concept the N.C. Water Rights Committee proposed that has been <br />adapted for this bill. <br />Prepared by Tracy Kimbrell, Mike Taylor and Bruce Thompson, Lobbyists for Stanly County <br />F-2 <br />i~ <br /> <br />r <br />C <br /> <br />i~ <br /> <br />7 <br /> <br />~7 <br /> <br />i] <br />0 <br /> <br />~I~~ <br />~I'~ <br />r_ <br />Attachment number 2 <br />Page 48 of 320 <br />