Protecting water resources is one of the main objectives of the Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District Board, which approved a resolution today opposing Part V, Section 5 of Senate Bill 214 — a bill that would allow Franklin County to condemn property in Halifax, Vance, and Warren counties without authorization.

“The board affirms its support for watershed sustainability and pledges to defend the Roanoke River Basin against any interbasin transfers that would remove large quantities of water from the region,” the resolution says.

The RRSD board became the latest to adopt a resolution against the proposal. 

Like several other regional boards, the RRSD argues that the proposed legislation constitutes an unprecedented overreach that threatens jurisdictional sovereignty and regional trust.

The RRSD noted that current North Carolina General Statutes require a county to obtain approval from the Halifax County Board of Commissioners before acquiring or condemning property. The proposed bill would allow Franklin County to bypass this requirement. 

The board also highlighted a lack of transparency, noting that Franklin County officials have reportedly refused to provide clarification or discuss the reasons for seeking to deprive Halifax County of its statutory authority.

The board characterizes the bill as an inappropriate use of local legislation to strip another county of its legal rights and authority; “The board fervently requests that Part V, Section 5 be removed from the bill and that no equivalent language be considered that would allow Franklin County to exercise such authority in neighboring jurisdictions.”