Governor appoints Valdese town manager to environment management commission

Credit: The News Herald

Jeff Morse

By: Sharon McBrayer | Morganton News Herald
Published: October 12, 2009

Morganton --

Valdese Town Manager Jeff Morse has been appointed to the state's environmental management commission.
Gov. Beverly Perdue's office confirmed on Monday Morse's appointment. Morse was informed on Friday, he said.
Perdue's Press Secretary Chrissy Pearson said on Monday that Morse was selected on Thursday. She said the governor looks for qualified and experienced people to fill appointments and that Morse fit the bill. She said Morse also came highly recommended from various sources.
The commission, which is a 19-member body, addresses all issues of the environment, including "adopting rules for the protection, preservation and enhancement of the state's air and water resources," according to the state's Web site.
The commission oversees and adopts rules for the divisions of air quality, land resources, water quality and water resources, according to the state. The commission meets once every two months.
Morse was appointed to a six-year term.
He has served on the commission previously from 1995-99. He enjoyed his time on the board and expressed an interest about four or five months ago in serving again, Morse said.
The biggest issue affecting Burke County the commission has been involved with in recent years is the Concord-Kannapolis interbasin transfer. Initially, Concord and Kannapolis petitioned the commission to transfer 48 million gallons of water a day from the Catawba River basin and the Yadkin River sub-basin. Of that 48 million gallons, 38 million would have come out of the Catawba River.
The request unified residents and leaders along the Catawba River to fight against the request. The request was eventually granted but greatly reduced to 10 million gallons a day.
The issue is still in the courts. South Carolina sued the state of North Carolina and the case has ended up before the U.S. Supreme Court.
The town of Valdese, along Morganton, Hickory and other towns along the river, also filed lawsuits in the case.
Because he is the town manager of Valdese, Morse said if the issue comes back before the commission, he will have to recuse himself from voting on the issue. He said it would be a conflict of interest for him to vote on it.