THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 24, 1995 TAG: 9501240496
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
With last week's news about the Lake Gaston pipeline, Virginia Beach can breathe a little easier: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the latest agency to hem and haw over the environmental impact, has issued a favorable draft report.
But don't uncoil the garden hose.
FERC concurs that Virginia Beach needs water, that the pipeline is the least expensive way to obtain it and, more important in the regulatory world, the least environmentally disruptive.
After 13 years of studies, Virginia Beach already knew that. It's North Carolina that's unpersuaded, even now. That unneighborly state demanded a FERC study before Friday's preliminary report. Now Carolina officials say FERC missed something in its ``haste'' to conduct this study, no doubt something these masters of delay can use in an apparently inexhaustible appeals proc-ess.
How can Virginia Beach finesse that strategy? It can continue to pursue condemnation of the acreage it needs to bypass FERC approval. That's a long shot. But then it's been a long run and the city needs all the leverage it can get. That includes legislation Del. Frank Wagner, R-Virginia Beach, proposes for mutual obstructionism: Virginia's opposition to projects Carolina proposes.
Add FERC's favorable draft to these chips in the current bargaining among North Carolina and Virginia officials at all levels of government. By federal court order, Virginia Beach is in mediation with North Carolina. But that process has no set timetable for reaching agreement; it has as much potential to hinder as help the pipeline - unless ongoing private contacts can facilitate a compromise between the states.
Not just Virginia Beach but Chesapeake, Franklin and Isle of Wight need this pipeline. The agreement, reached 18 months ago, by which Norfolk will update its treatment plant to accommodate Gaston water was heralded as a boon to both Norfolk and the Beach. The considerable cooperation this side of the state line should make it easier to ask and get answered the biggest question left: What does Carolina really want that Virginia can provide? by CNB