CALL TO ACTION: Public Hearing on Dec. 4 to Protect Water Supply

November 21, 2025

MEMBER CALL TO ACTION

The Greater Fayetteville Chamber is encouraging all members to take action in response to the Town of Fuquay-Varina’s request for an Interbasin Transfer (IBT) permit that will significantly impact the Cape Fear River Basin. This proposed application would allow the transfer of up to 6.17 million gallons per day (MGD) of water from the Cape Fear River Basin to the Neuse River Basin and would significantly affect the Cape Fear region’s access to clean drinking water and long-term economic development.

Please attend the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) public hearing on Thursday, Dec. 4 at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) Hull Auditorium and sign up to speak in opposition. Sign-in begins at 5:30 p.m. and the hearing begins at 6 p.m.

Removing this volume of water poses significant risks to the future growth of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the region including the following key concerns:

  • Threats to Long-Term Water Availability: The proposed diversion could impair current and future water supply for hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses depending on the Cape Fear River Basin.
  • Economic Risk: Reallocating water away from the Cape Fear Basin without a requirement to return that supply could hinder future development opportunities for communities within the originating basin, including those in Cumberland County.
  • Environmental Impact: Large-scale interbasin transfers can create adverse cumulative impacts on water quality, instream flows, and fish and wildlife habitats—which would affect communities from Sanford to Wilmington.
  • Insufficient Exploration of Alternatives: State regulations require that all feasible options within the receiving basin be thoroughly evaluated and prioritized before requesting an interbasin transfer.

The Greater Fayetteville Chamber urges all members to read the additional information and the draft EIS on the NCDEQ website.

This release came from the
Greater Fayetteville Chamber