THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 28, 1995 TAG: 9507280431
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
The North Carolina General Assembly gave final approval Thursday to a bill that Carolina officials hope will make it harder for Virginia Beach to take Lake Gaston water.
The measure, a clause on a bill that makes technical changes to environmental regulations, ``reserves'' for North Carolina's use any water in Lake Gaston or Kerr Lake that is on the North Carolina side of the state line.
The state Senate approved the bill Thursday, one day after it was supported by a House committee.
North Carolina officials said the provision is intended to counter Virginia Beach's argument that state law should take precedence over a federal law North Carolina has tried to use to stop the Lake Gaston pipeline project.
If Virginia Beach is successful in persuading the courts to put more weight on Virginia state law than on a federal law that contradicts it, then North Carolina wants to have its own state law in place to counter Virginia's, officials said.
KEYWORDS: WATER SUPPLY PLAN LAKE GASTON by CNB