In an article published by The Charlotte Observer, Stanly County Manager Andy Lucas says if Stanly County gets what it wants, its expenses will be repaid “many times over.” Lucas is referring to the nearly $1 million in taxpayer money that Stanly County has already spent on lawyers and PR firms to fight the relicensing of the Yadkin Project.
The truth is, if the county gets what it wants, North Carolina taxpayers will have to spend a whole lot more to seize Alcoa's property by condemnation. That would likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars, including $240 million in upgrades to power generation units and technology to improve water quality.
If the county gets what it wants, residents along Badin Lake and High Rock Lake will have to wait even longer to realize the many positive changes a new license will bring, including a new public swim area in Rowan County, new fishing piers and camp sites, land for a waterfront park along Badin Lake, and more flexibility for those building new piers on the lake.
If the county get what it wants, it claims water supplies will be better protected. But if the city of Albemarle, the county seat of Stanly County and the single largest municipal withdrawer, trusts Alcoa enough to support a new license, doesn't that speak volumes?
If the county gets what it wants, Stanly County will quickly earn a reputation as one of the least "business friendly" communities in North Carolina and beyond.
Do we really want Stanly County to get what it wants?
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I'm curious what you mean by "more flexibility for those building new piers on the lake." I've heard rumors that we were going to be allowed to buy structures from companies like Alumadock at some point instead of having to stick-build everything, but I notice in the new license application it appears nothing has changed in the pier regulations. What gives here?
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