Should Governor Easley Have to Ask These Guys for NC Water?

by Patty

“Tell me what company you keep and I’ll tell you what you are.” If you believe in this familiar quote by Spanish adventurer and writer Miguel de Cervantes, then North Carolina will have its reputation besmirched considerably if it allows a renewal a 50-year license for use of the public waters of the Yadkin River by Alcoa.

A conglomerate known primarily for aluminum production, Alcoa has expanded over more than a century from its base in Pittsburgh to international activities. In doing so, the company has generated opposition to its efforts in nations ranging from the warm island of Trinidad (the country announced electricity rates will increase by 7 and 35 percent annually at the same time it approved new power plants for Alcoa’s planned smelting operations there) to frigid Iceland (Alcoa blocked glacial rivers to flood pristine highland wilderness at a cost of an estimated $1.5 billion to the country, along with complaints that Alcoa fudged its proclaimed environmental commitment for the area).

And the Associated Press reported March 21 that the U.S. Justice Department has begun a criminal investigation into whether Alcoa bribed officials through overseas shell companies to secure hundreds of millions of dollars in overpayments in the Persian Gulf state of Bahrain since 1993. Federal prosecutors have requested that a federal civil lawsuit regarding the allegations be halted in favor of a criminal one instead.

The AP noted that “Aluminum Bahrain B.S.C., also known as Alba, in which the Bahrain government holds a 77 percent stake, is seeking more than $1 billion in damages from Alcoa and other affiliated defendants, according to a federal lawsuit filed last month. ‘The Alba complaint alleges numerous facts which, if true, could be relevant to the government’s criminal investigation and a potential criminal trial,’ prosecutors said in court filings.” Both Alba and Alcoa have agreed to stop the civil proceeding in light of the Justice Department’s criminal investigation, which involves allegations for bribes going to officials both with Alba and with the Bahrain government.

How does all this affect North Carolina? Well, if Alcoa receives federal approval for its relicensing, it will gain exclusive control of use of the public waters of the Yadkin in Stanly County through the year 2058 for a hydroelectric plant. That could mean that a business charged with multimillion-dollar criminal violations against a foreign government – and facing major protests in other countries – would nonetheless be allowed to operate in North Carolina without any penalty here for half a century. Is this the kind of reputation the state wants, to let any business use public resources unconditionally, particularly if Alcoa is found guilty of the charges?

It does not have to be that way if Governor Easley and other state officials intervene and deny the relicensing to Alcoa. North Carolina has the top climate for businesses, according to many rankings – let’s keep it solid by making sure we have businesses who reflect well on the state by operating under the laws fairly with everyone throughout our world.

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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