NC Senate strikes down amendments to water laws
North Carolina legislators struck down a bill that would have required that cities provide water and sewer services to all property owners within their urban growth areas and delayed pollution controls to protect Jordan Lake.
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The Senate voted 15-25 against the bill late Monday night. It was passed 66-50 in the House last week.
It would have pushed back an August 2012 deadline until 2014 for requiring new developers to comply with environmental agreements set in 2009 to protect Jordan Lake.
Democrat Senator Josh Stein of Wake County said the measure should have been renamed the "pollute Jordan Lake bill," and railed against it.
Supporters argued the bill would prevent property owners from discrimination by cities. Opponents said it would pollute the lake and take control away from city planners.
Durham officials said the proposed law would have forced them to extend services to the planned 751 South development. The controversial project would include 1,300 homes and up to 600,000 square feet of commercial and retail space to 167 acres along N.C. Highway 751 near the Durham-Chatham county line.
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