The North Carolina Senate Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee approved a revised version of a House proposal on Tuesday that would halt significant new transfers of surface water, an issue brought forth by Hurricane Helene.
House Bill 850, or “Interbasin Transfer Moratorium/Study,” would place a moratorium on the issuance of certificates for some surface water transfers while the North Carolina Collaboratory studies the issue. The bill passed the House in May by a vote of 108-1.
Primary sponsor Rep. Jay Adams (R-Catawba) said that in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, he spent a lot of time at the Hickory Regional Airport. Flying along on some rescue missions, he was able to observe the displacement of water around Lake James and the Linville Gorge.
Adams described how floods had scoured both sides of the gorge, pushing the trees and earth into Lake James.
“Lake James had kind of a caramel look to it, whereas it’s normally one of the most pristine lakes in the Catawba River system, so that was very alarming for me to see,” he said.
He began to wonder how much of the capacity of Lake James had been reduced.
In the Catawba River system, reservoirs like Lake James and Lake Norman store water for human use.
“The capacity, in my mind, has unquestionably been reduced, and that’s a very important characteristic of the system for all of us,” Adams said. “That’s the basis for the moratorium: simply asking for more time.”
Sen. Julie Mayfield (D-Buncombe) said she’s originally from Atlanta and is familiar with the debates over water between Georgia and Florida.
She asked how the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County feel about the issue.
“I think they recognize that it’s in their best interest that the system itself altogether be healthy,” Adams said. “They need to know as well what the status is.”
The Senate committee substitute approved Tuesday sets a clear date for the moratorium to end on March 21, 2027. The original bill had simply set a date of six months after the submission of the Collaboratory’s study results.
No members of the general public provided testimony on the bill.
The legislation proceeds to the Senate Rules Committee. If approved by the Senate, it will be returned to the House for concurrence with the Senate changes.
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