The Watauga County Board of Commissioners didn’t
move on mountains Tuesday night, but they went with the flow on
supporting Boone’s water-intake plant.
During their Tuesday night meeting, the county commissioners discussed
support of a bill that would give the town of Boone the right
to install a raw-water intake on the South Fork of the New River.
The commissioners also received a resolution supporting the water
plant, which the town says it needs because of growth and a potential
moratorium on development as the town approaches 90 percent capacity
for its water supply. The resolution says an engineering firm
looked at 27 possible water sources and determined the proposed
site “is the best option from a location and economic standpoint.”
The proposed site in the Brownwood community, on the border of
Ashe and Watauga counties, is currently undergoing environmental
review. Town voters adopted a $25 million bond referendum in November
to construct the plant.
The House bill, introduced by N.C. Rep. Cullie Tarleton (D-Watauga),
grants Boone the right to construct and maintain a water intake
system. The “special act” sets the location at 2,470
linear feet from the Cranberry Springs road bridge, with an intake
system 170 feet in length and 35 feet in width. The act says “Nothing
in this act shall be construed to relieve the Town of Boone from
securing any applicable permits for the project.”
The commissioners unanimously approved both the resolution and
the House bill. The Watauga County Board of Education tabled a
similar proposal earlier this month.
The mountaintop coal-removal resolution was revisited, with the
county receiving a letter from Blue Ridge Electric Membership
Corporation, forwarded from Duke Energy, saying a state ban on
importing such coal would lead to a cost increase of 5 to 8 percent
for consumers.
On Apr. 2, Appalachian Voices asked the county to support the
Appalachian Mountains Preservation Act, which would prevent the
state’s use of coal mined through mountaintop removal. Appalachian
Voices projected a 1 percent cost increase to consumers. About
half of the coal burned in the state’s electricity-generating
plants comes from mountaintop mining.
Ashley Tester presented a statement from the Appalachian State
University’s Renewable Energy Institute that said it was
time for “an honest acknowledgment of the true cost of electricity
and coal.” She said it was a time for a transition to new
forms of energy.
Deal said the commissioners supported the action in general but
commissioner Tim Futrelle, who introduced the resolution, asked
for time to adjust the language. The commissioners tabled the
resolution until its next meeting, which is May 4. The commissioners
scheduled budget work sessions for May 11 and 12, with a public
hearing on the budget scheduled for May 19.
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