Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 23, 1995 TAG: 9505230110
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Fearing that a proposed compact between North Carolina and Virginia Beach could limit Bedford County's ability to transfer water from Smith Mountain Lake to other areas of the county, the board voted 6-0 to join the lawsuit.
"It's clouding our plans," said Chairman Dale Wheeler. The compact, which was drafted last month, stipulates that any locality removing a "substantial" amount of water from the Roanoke River Basin must return most of the water to the basin.
Bedford County's long-range water plans propose using Smith Mountain Lake, which is in the Roanoke River Basin, to supply water to the Forest and Boonsboro areas, which are in the James River Basin. The compact could make that impossible or too costly, some say.
Supervisor Earle Hobbs, who represents Smith Mountain Lake, said, "I don't think this board has any option except to join in with the other counties and cities and not let this happen."
Danville was the first locality to file suit, citing fears for the integrity of Southside Virginia's water supply and economic development.
So far, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenberg, Patrick and Pittsylvania counties and the town of Clarksville have joined the suit, according to Danville City Manager Ray Griffin.
Campbell County and Martinsville are still expected to join the suit but have not made decisions, Griffin said.
Bedford County paid $5,000 to join the lawsuit.
The Lake Gaston pipeline would transport as much as 95 million gallons of water a day from Lake Gaston to Virginia Beach and North Carolina.
Earlier this year, Virginia Beach and North Carolina settled more than a decade of battles by drafting the interstate compact that allows both to take water from Lake Gaston. Some groups, including the Roanoke River Association, have questioned the legality of the settlement since it was drafted without the involvement of the Virginia state government.
The compact still awaits approval by Congress and the Virginia and North Carolina legislatures, which have until June 27 to ratify it.
However, because of stiff opposition from Norfolk - which fears the pipeline would restrict its rights to sell water - and Southside Virginia, the General Assembly might not convene the special session needed to ratify the compact.
Gov. George Allen, who supports the pipeline, said he would not hold the session unless the compact was guaranteed to pass.
In other action, the supervisors voted 6-0 to place on the fall ballot a $7.1 million bond referendum to build and upgrade branch libraries across the county.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.