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Federal agency joins Alcoa showdown
Thursday, February 8, 2007 — Stanly County officials aren’t the only folks concerned about the relicensing of Alcoa’s dams on the Yadkin River.
The United States Department of the Interior filed a notice of intervention Dec. 28.
Alcoa Power Generating Inc. (APGI) was in negotiations with Stanly County and other stakeholders on agreement in principle. The county refused to sign the agreement last summer and filed an intervention with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Office is concerned with the length of the license that APGI is applying for in the process.
A biologist for the department’s office in Raleigh, Mark Bowers, said the Department of Interior prefers 30- to 40-year licenses.
“We would have intervened anyway - this is sort of a formality,” he said. “The main reason is the length of the license term.
“We only approve of a 40-year terms if good mitigation has come to the agreement.”
Mark Cantrell, a fish and wildlife biologist in the Asheville office, has been involved with the Yadkin process and with APGI’s Tapoco Division in Tennessee.
“We usually intervene to protect the resources, fish and wildlife,” he said.
“We have been involved with the relicensing from work we have done on hydroelectric dams with the Tapoco project,” Cantrell said.
He said some of the concerns are minimum flows of the river, shoreline management and endangered species specifically the Yadkin River Goldenrod.
Bowers said the intervention is procedural route the department takes to make them a party to the all of the proceedings with FERC.
FERC is the agency responsible of issuing licenses for hydroelectric operations.
Bowers said some other issues are with Progress Energy and river flows below the Tillery Dam.
Matt Irvin can be contacted at snaponline26@yahoo.com
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‘How I Spent My Summer Vacation’
Foreign exchange students are arriving with the beginning of another school year. The exchange program provides an opportunity for them to learn more about America while in turn giving local students a glimpse into another culture. At times long lasting friendships are formed.
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Pedestrians, motorists urged to be cautious at Pfeiffer
A Pfeiffer University student had a brush with death when crossing the road on Wednesday.
According to Misenheimer Police Chief Tracey Wyrick, the student assumed that an approaching vehicle would stop as a courtesy. This misunderstanding led to the student nearly being struck. -
West teacher receives state business award
A local teacher has won one of the highest education awards in the state.
John Thompson, a business education teacher at West Stanly High School (WSHS), recently received the Orus B. Sutton Award, which is presented to the Outstanding Business and Information Technology Teacher of the Year in North Carolina. -
Committee discusses renovations to school facilities
Many of the local schools will be getting a makeover this school year. In its meeting last week, the Stanly County Board of Education Facilities Committee discussed specific renovations to the schools.
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Stanly County Sheriff’s Report
Stanly County Sheriff’s Report announces the following activity:
• Robert M. Burroughs, Sutton Springs Road, Charlotte, reported damage to property, Aug. 20. -
Correspondent no longer with TV station
UNC-TV Senior Legislative Correspondent Eszter Vajda is no longer employed at the state’s public television network as of Aug. 18, according to Gail Zimmermann, associate general manager of the station.
- Albemarle Police Report
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Starnes attends conference
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City reports wastewater discharge
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Albemarle Police Report
Albemarle Police Depart-ment reports the following activity:
• Charles Douglas Gurley, 44, was issued a citation of not register vehicle with DMV on U.S. 52 South at Old Charlotte Road, Aug. 17. - More Local News Headlines
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