THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 12, 1995 TAG: 9505120459
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALEX MARSHALL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
Sen. Clarence A. Holland, D-Virginia Beach, said Thursday he planned to hold hearings in Lynchburg, Richmond and Hampton Roads on the proposed water agreement between North Carolina and Virginia Beach.
The hearings could ultimately build political support for the deal that could end the decade-old feud over Lake Gaston water.
In the short term, however, the hearings are one more complication that increases the difficulties of the General Assembly in ratifying the interstate agreement before the June 27 deadline.
Both houses of the General Assembly must pass any legislation approving the agreement. On the House side, Speaker Tom Moss of Norfolk has promised not to move on any legislation before Norfolk's concerns about its ability to sell water outside the region are addressed.
Sen. Joseph V. Gartlan Jr., chairman of the committee that handles interstate compacts, has appointed Holland to lead a subcommittee on the issue.
The locations of the Senate hearings match the principal interest groups in the proposed legislation. Several communities in southern, rural Virginia have opposed Virginia Beach withdrawing water from Lake Gaston and have criticized the agreement. Subcommittee members will come from that area, as well as Hampton Roads and some ``neutral'' part of the state, Holland said.
One possible solution to Norfolk's concerns, he said Thursday, is for the state to pass legislation without referring to any limitations on Norfolk's sale of water. Part of the agreement between Virginia Beach and North Carolina would prevent Norfolk from selling water outside South Hampton Roads.
Instead, the legislation would simply endorse limits set on the amount of water each state could withdraw from Lake Gaston.
Any limitations on Norfolk's future sale of water, Holland said, could be handled in side agreements between Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Holland said he doubted the state even has the power to restrict Norfolk's sale of water.
Moss could not be reached for comment on whether he would support legislation that leaves out the question of Norfolk's sale of water.
Holland said he hoped to hold the hearings in the next two to three weeks. But he said he would not hold hearings before the legislation has been written. Holland said he is working with Moss to come up with legislation on which all sides can agree.
Holland's plans to hold hearings matches wishes by Republican Gov. George F. Allen, who said in a letter this week that he has suggested hearings be held in affected parts of the state before the governor convenes a special session.
Allen has disagreed with Democratic leaders over when the special session should be convened. The governor has said he will call such a session after Senate and House leadership has assured him that majorities in both houses support such legislation.
But on Wednesday, Sen. Hunter B. Andrews, the Senate majority leader, said he doubted the General Assembly could come up with a majority for any position without first convening in a special session.
``The only way I'm clear as to whether you have a majority is to get the people together and vote,'' Andrews said.
Andrews also said he believes Allen, as the central leader of the state, should state his position on the proposed deal before the session is convened. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Sen. Clarence A. Holland
KEYWORDS: WATER SUPPLY PLAN by CNB