After repeated communications to North Carolina from South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, Attorney General Henry McMaster, both Houses of the SC General Assembly, US Congressmen John Spratt and Jim Clyburn opposing the permenent removal of any water from the Catawba River, South Carolina followed up their opposition with legal action in the original jurisdiction of the United States Supreme Court.

CRF Board Chair Gary Faulkenberry joined Mr. McMaster at the press conference on June 7, 2007. McMaster publicly acknowleged and thanked the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation for its advocacy, education and outreach on this important issue that will have far reaching impacts on how the two states share water in the future.

Gary Faulkenberry (left) and Henry McMaster (right) at the press conference on June 7 in Columbia, SC.

The stubborn and willful refusal of the NC Enviornmental Management Commission, Concord and Kannapolis to allow the Bi-State Catawba-Wateree River Study Commission to broker a solution to the interstate and intrastate water war was a factor in the decision to take legal action againt North Carolina. South Carolina seeks an immediate injunction to halt the water transfer and asks the Supreme Court to appoint a special master to create a compact commission for the Catawba River with the power to allocate the river between the states. More information can be found at the SC Attorney General's website at:

http://www.scattorneygeneral.org/