Stanly County Releases Podcast Urging North Carolinians To Recapture Their Water From Alcoa

PR Log (Press Release) – Mar 24, 2008 – STANLY COUNTY, N.C. — Stanly County has released a podcast on the subject of North Carolina water policy.  Stanly County Commissioners and citizens statewide are actively opposing a request by Alcoa to obtain a 50-year license to govern and sustain ownership of the water flowing from the Yadkin River, one of the longest rivers in North Carolina.  Alcoa first obtained a 50-year license in 1958 to oversee what is known as The Yadkin Project, comprised of four hydroelectric stations, dams and reservoirs along a 38-mile stretch of the Yadkin River in central North Carolina.  The four water reservoirs are High Rick, Tuckertown, Narrows and Falls.  The Yadkin-Pee Dee Watershed as a whole includes twenty-one counties and contains ninety-three state municipalities.  

The 1958 license to Alcoa expires in April 2008.  In less than a month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will make its decision whether or not to relicense the water resources of the Yadkin River to Alcoa.  County Commissioners, local business owners and North Carolina citizens are beginning to make their opposition heard.

In this podcast, Roger Dick, president/CEO and founder of Stanly County’s Uwharrie Capital Corp, discusses the importance of North Carolina recapturing its water from Alcoa.  Dick points to specific statewide benefits of recapturing its water from a private multinational corporation and refers to North Carolina water policy as one of the single-largest economic and environmental issues affecting our state.  Three central questions are addressed in the podcast.  They include:

•   Why it is vital to the economic future of Stanly County – and North Carolina as a state – to recapture the rights to its water from Alcoa?

•   What should North Carolina do to help gain back control of its water from this private multinational corporation?

•   What would are the benefits to the people of North Carolina from recapturing control of its water?

This podcast is now available for download in two parts:

Part I – www.mmimarketing.com/podcast/North+Carolina+Water+Policy

Part II - www.mmimarketing.com/podcast/North+Carolina+Water+Policy+part+II

Related Links:
www.co.stanly.nc.us.
www.alcoa.com
www.uwharriecapitalcorp.com
www.mmimarketing.com

News Facts:
•   Stanly County has released a podcast on the subject of North Carolina water policy.
•   Stanly County Commissioners and citizens statewide are actively opposing a request by Alcoa to obtain a 50-year license to govern and sustain ownership of the water flowing from the Yadkin River, one of the longest rivers in North Carolina.
•   Alcoa first obtained a 50-year license in 1958 to oversee what is known as The Yadkin Project, comprised of four hydroelectric stations, dames and reservoirs along a 38-mile stretch of the Yadkin River in central North Carolina.
•   The 1958 license to Alcoa expires in April 2008.
•   In less than a month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will make its decision whether or not to relicense the water resources of the Yadkin River to Alcoa.
•   In this podcast, Roger Dick, president/CEO and founder of Stanly County’s Uwharrie Capital Corp, discusses the importance of North Carolina recapturing its water from Alcoa.

Quotes:
“This issue is currently one of the largest economic issues in North Carolina,” said Dick.  “By law, this water belongs to the people of North Carolina.  Our government should not be more concerned with the interests of a private company than the general welfare of its public, who are suffering from a drought and a lack of economic opportunity.  The recapturing of this water will bring economic stability back to Stanly County.  Why must the people of North Carolina ask a private company for a part of what is wholly theirs?”

About This Effort:
In 1958, Alcoa, the world’s leading producer of primary aluminum, secured a federal hydroelectric license for the Narrows Dam on the Yadkin River in Stanly County.  In turn, Alcoa promised jobs for Stanly County and an environmentally-friendly product for years to come.  While making profits in excess of $40 million a year on North Carolina water resources, Alcoa has essentially disappeared as a major employer, shut down plants and, for decades, discharged hazardous pollutants into North Carolina air and waterways.  Alcoa wants to continue reaping the benefits of the Yadkin River after its license expires in April of this year.  It has filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to obtain another 50-year license.  If Alcoa is successful, one of North Carolina’s most valuable water resources will be used to maximize its profits instead of being used to benefit the people of North Carolina, who themselves are in dire need of drinking water due to the current drought and our state’s continued growth.  

About Roger Dick:
Roger Dick is president/CEO and founder of Uwharrie Capital Corp, which is a bank holding company that owns three banks: Bank of Stanly, Cabarrus Bank & Trust Company, and Anson Bank & Trust Company along with Strategic Investment Advisors, Inc.  Bank of Stanly owns a NASD-member securities brokerage, The Strategic Alliance Corp, and an insurance agency, BOS Agency, Inc.  Roger holds an M.A. in finance from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  He is a certified investment management analysis, a certification awarded by The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, one of the world’s leading business schools.  Roger is a former member of the North Carolina Banking Commission and is an active Board member of the Central Park of North Carolina.  He has a deep understanding of the economic issues that affect North Carolina and, for more than 25 years, has been discussing the virtues of local control of capital and natural resources.