The Yadkin Riverkeeper is at it again. He attacked Larry Jones of the High Rock Lake Association last week, accusing him of a having a conflict of interest that compromised his advocacy for High Rock Lake during the relicensing process.
Anyone who was involved in the relicensing negotiations knows just how absurd that claim is. Larry Jones was, and continues to be, one of the strongest advocates that High Rock Lake has ever known.
The Yadkin Riverkeeper’s allegations stem from a property agreement that APGI made with Larry Jones in October 2009. Larry received ownership of the driveway to his home and property in exchange for his agreement to relinquish all pasture, cultivation and water withdrawal rights.
Marshall Olson, environmental and natural resources manager at APGI, said the agreement offers important environmental benefits for High Rock Lake because it will reduce the potential for fertilizer in the lake and reduce erosion along the shoreline.
The High Rock Lake Association released a statement this weekend condemning the Yadkin Riverkeeper’s attacks and reiterating its support for the Relicensing Settlement Agreement.
“No one has or is fighting harder for the users of High Rock Lake and the rest of the Yadkin Project than Larry Jones and the Association,” the statement says. “When the license is issued by FERC, we will have a binding agreement to operate the Yadkin Project for the benefit of all stakeholders. Jones, under the direction of the Association, was a primary negotiator to get these desired changes.”
“There is nothing wrong with the actions of Larry Jones, either in his capacity as an officer of the HRLA or in the manner he has conducted his personal affairs.”
Marshall Olson shared a similar perspective:
“Alcoa’s dealings with Larry Jones and his property have been straightforward and unrelated to his role with the High Rock Lake Association. This transaction took place more than 2½ years after the High Rock Lake Association signed the Relicensing Settlement Agreement in support of a new license for Alcoa, and with the full knowledge and support of the High Rock Lake Association’s Board of Directors,” Olson said. “Routinely, Alcoa must address issues involving historical easements and property line issues, such as those with Larry Jones, and this transaction is no different from the others.”
This latest attack from the Yadkin Riverkeeper has absolutely no merit. It is simply another attempt to drum up support for a costly government takeover of the Yadkin Project.
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