Today with Patty

Introduction to a New MMI Project

by Patty

Recently the local government for Stanly County approached MMI Associates, Inc. about providing PR for its fight to recapture the water of the Yadkin River for the people of North Carolina through the County’s opposition to renewing a 50-year federal hydroelectric license to Alcoa for the Narrows Dam on the Yadkin River. After meeting with county officials and hearing their concerns, I have agreed that we would assist them in this important effort.

I am leading this project, along with Michelle and Ryal, and we will be blogging regularly about the county’s efforts to oppose Alcoa’s relicensing application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The main reason for Stanly’s opposition is simple and justifiable – the federal government allows for state and local leaders to have control of water resources instead of private corporations, particularly ones that do not look after the public interest, and Stanly wants North Carolina to have this control.

Many other concerns and objections the county has regarding this project include future rights of water usage in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Basin environmental questions about what contamination Alcoa’s hydroelectric plant and operations over the past 90 years have caused to the water and surrounding land, and the costs of any cleanup and who would pay for it; and the economic advantages for Alcoa in the relicensing versus the disadvantages for Stanly County residents. All of these items and more will be addressed thoroughly in upcoming blogs. We also will discuss what options can and should be taken to handle the situation equitably for all parties involved.

Here is a little background. In 1958 the FERC granted Alcoa a 50-year license to use the public waters of the Yadkin to generate electricity and create hundreds of jobs for Stanly County residents. Given the county’s needs at the time for employment, as well as Alcoa’s international reputable standing as a leader in aluminum production, the license made sense to Stanly as well.

Alcoa did create both energy and jobs, but by 2002 it ended its regular smelting operations and has now nearly finished laying off a workforce that once held nearly 1,000 of some of the highest paying jobs in the region. Now Alcoa essentially uses the Yadkin River dams to generate electricity for sale on the grid through Alcoa’s subsidiary, Alcoa Power Generating Inc. There are no major jobs there now or in the future – the last 30 staff members were relocated or retired last year.

This is at least a $2.5 billion giveaway of the people’s water. The current license Alcoa holds expires on April 30, and this multinational corporation now wants to receive a new 50 year license so that it can continue to generate power to sell at market prices for profit. The company already receives $40 million in gross annual revenues now from the Yadkin River hydroproject, and even with new enhancements under the relicensing, the annual costs will be nowhere the gross revenue amounts. On the other hand, the people of Stanly County would receive absolutely nothing in return if Alcoa is relicensed, except for maybe more responsibilities that would cost them in terms of time and money.

As I wrote earlier, we will give you more details about the project in future blogs, as well as some major activities planned to bring attention to state officials about it. It will explain why Stanly deserves your support in its efforts.

If you want to take immediate action to help North Carolina recapture its water from this private corporation, as provided by federal law, contact your state representatives listed below.

Contact the Governor’s Office
Governor Michael F. Easley
Office of the Governor
20301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0301
(919)733-4240
(919)733-5811
governor.office@ncmail.net

Contact Speaker of the House Joe Hackney
2304 State Legislative Building
Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-1096
Phone: (919) 733-3451
Fax: (919) 828-6257
joeh@ncleg.net

Contact Senator Richard Burr
217 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3154
Fax: (202) 228-2981
Email form available at: http://burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Contact Senator Elizabeth Dole
555 Dirksen Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Ph: 202.224.6342
Fax: 202.224.1100
Email form available at: http://dole.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.ContactForm

Contact Senator Marc Basnight
North Carolina Senate
16 W. Jones Street, Room 2007
Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
Phone: (919) 733-6854
Marcb@ncleg.net

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