Statement From The Stanly County Commissioners

The Stanly County Commissioners were informed today that Alcoa Power Generating, Inc. (APGI) has withdrawn its application for a 401 water quality certificate to operate at the Yadkin Hydroelectric Project, which includes the Yadkin River and its lakes and tributaries in Stanly, Davidson, Montgomery and Rowan counties in the Central Piedmont of North Carolina.

In light of Alcoa’s withdrawal of its 401 water quality certificate application at this time, the Stanly County Commissioners have released the following public statement:

We applaud the decision by Alcoa Power Generating, Inc. (APGI) to withdraw its current application for a 401 water quality certificate. That decision will allow APGI adequate time to respond, in the future proceeding, to the concerns already expressed by the Stanly County Commissioners and other concerned citizens across the state that additional environmental studies need to be completed in order to fully examine all the relevant issues arising out of the corporation’s use of the Yadkin River, one of North Carolina’s most valuable natural resources. We further feel that once APGI, other parties, and the DWQ fully digest the information submitted by the County on behalf of its citizens to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – many of which came in the form of letters, emails and environmental reports – that the corporation will address each of the serious environmental concerns that exist as a result of their operations at Badin Lake or will continue because of the continuation of its operations on the Yadkin. Stanly County urges all parties involved to use extreme caution and apply thoroughness to these reports, as we progress through the certification process. Few things are as crucial to North Carolina’s future economic stability and overall prosperity as a clean and adequate water supply.

MMI Associates, Inc.
Ryal Curtis
7406-H Chapel Hill Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 233-6600 • (919) 233-0300 (fax)
ryal@mmimarketing.com