GLUE Report for 12-15-2011

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all you GLUERS out there!!! Christmas might have come a little early for all who have an interest in Grand Lake. The Smith Mountain Lake/CURB people met with FERC this week in Washington to mediate their differences on their shoreline management plan. Bill Brush, the father of the CURB group will only tell me they are sworn to secrecy with respect to the outcome of the meeting. That sounds like good news to me and when you couple that with a bill filed the next day by Congressman Robert Hurt of Virginia to protect lake property owners and investors property rights, I’d say the monster might be on the run.

Our own senior U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe has also stepped up to the plate with a news release supporting the latest bill to rein in the authority which has previously gone unchallenged. The press releases are below for your review.

Cheers from Grays Hollow

INHOFE CONTINUES TO PURSUE PROTECTION FOR GRAND LAKE HOMEOWNERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Citing the need to protect homeowners that reside near our nation’s lakes and rivers from overreaching government bureaucracy, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) sponsored S. 1988, Supporting Home Owner Rights Enforcement (SHORE) Act of 2011, introduced today by U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).

This legislation amends the Federal Power Act to include private land ownership as a consideration that the Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC) must take into account when approving licenses for dams. Currently, no protections are explicitly in place to assist homeowners that reside in Grand Lake, Okla. and near other bodies of water if FERC determines they live within project boundaries.  Because these statutory protections are not in place, FERC has aggressively pursued an environmental agenda that aims to limit private landowner rights near FERC projects.

“We must protect our nation’s homeowners that reside near bodies of water from this burdensome government bureaucracy that is beholden to the environmentalist agenda of Washington liberals,” said Inhofe. “S. 1988 is a necessary solution to help these homeowners against the continued threats of FERC.  This legislation would protect the property rights of individuals, including the thousands of residents currently living on Grand Lake.”

The introduction of S. 1988 comes after an amendment offered by Blunt failed to be included in H.R. 2354, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2012.

Robert Hurt Introduces The SHORE Act To Protect Smith Mountain Lake, Bedford, Franklin, Pittsylvania Private Landowners' Rights

WASHINGTON, DC– Congressman Robert Hurt (R-VA) today released the following statement after announcing the introduction of the Supporting Home Owner Rights Enforcement (SHORE) Act that will require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to take into account private property ownership rights when issuing and enforcing hydropower project licenses. Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO):

“As the federal government continues to expand in size and scope, we must ensure that Central and Southside Virginians and all Americans are not negatively affected by its over-reach, especially as it relates to individuals’ right to own and enjoy private property. The SHORE Act will require that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission take into consideration the private property rights of Fifth District Virginians when exercising their authority as it relates to Smith Mountain Lake and other federally regulated hydro-projects.

“Federal government regulations have rapidly expanded in reach in the past decade, and this is but one example of that expansion. I appreciate the engaged citizens at Smith Mountain Lake, and in Bedford, Franklin, and Pittsylvania Counties for bringing this important issue to my attention and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and the Senate to address this issue.”

Russ Johnson, Franklin County Supervisor & Chairman Of The Tri-County Relicensing Committee added, “The SHORE Act is not only of great benefit to the 240,000 people that live in the counties that encompass Smith Mountain and Leesville Lakes, it is of benefit to private property owners throughout the United States who seek, as we do, to balance environmental stewardship and recreational enhancement with private property and the rights that go with ownership.  The noble goals of this legislation go a long way towards fairness and responsibility, which are at the core of our nation and of our government’s proper relationship with its citizens.”

Background Information

The SHORE Act will amend the Federal Power Act to require that when issuing a license or enforcement action, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) must take into consideration private property and the private use and enjoyment of land. Additionally, it will require that licensees consider the benefit of private landownership to investment and increased tourism when developing recreation resources within a project boundary.