Rowan County government sent a formal response to the Local Government Commission Thursday clarifying its role in a school central office project, following opposition letters to the county’s $6.5 million loan.

In a letter dated Jan. 29, the county denied it has any involvement in the purchase of land for the Rowan-Salisbury School System Central Office and clarified its loan would not be used to pay for land associated with the project.

“Rowan County was not involved in the identification or purchase of the land and none of the funds to be borrowed by the county will be used to pay or reimburse (Rowan-Salisbury Schools) for the purchase of the land,” County Manager Aaron Church wrote in a letter to the Local Government Commission. “County staff has no knowledge of any information that substantiates the allegations contained in Mr. Smith’s materials.”

The county’s loan came with opposition letters from a single Salisbury resident that mentioned a “criminal conspiracy” behind the central office project land purchase.

The county’s $6.5 million loan, the largest portion of funding for the central office, includes a 2.48 percent interest rate, which equals about $1 million.

Environmental issues take center stage in Washington D.C. 

U.S. legislators neared the end of one long, drawn-out environmental battle this week and started up another one that’s been called a “battle royale.”

After being passed multiple times by the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate passed the bill approving construction of the Keystone XL pipeline by a 62-36 vote, which would not be enough to avoid a presidential veto. The pipeline would extend one that already exists and carry oil to the Texas gulf coast. It was first proposed in 2008.

“I am encouraged that both parties came together to pass the Keystone XL Pipeline Act, a commonsense jobs and infrastructure bill that will spark economic growth and make America more energy secure,” said U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., following the senate’s approval.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., North Carolina’s senior senator, likewise praised passage of the bill, saying “this is how the Senate should run.”

The Keystone XL pipeline making it to the president’s desk was the second of two major oil proposals that made news last week. Tillis and Burr teamed up to file an amendment to the Keystone XL pipeline bill that would instruct the secretary of the interior to finalize a five-year oil and gas lease program on the outer continental shelf for both the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic regions.

The Department of the Interior on Tuesday announced it was proposing a lease sale in the Atlantic Ocean — from the coast of Virginia to Georgia. The proposal drew criticism from environmentalists, Democrats and even one of North Carolina’s Republican Senators.

“While I am glad that President Obama is now considering allowing offshore natural gas and oil exploration along the Atlantic Coast, his proposal is wholly inadequate and would not provide the same level of job creation and economic benefits as the legislation Sen. Burr and I recently proposed,” Tillis said.

Adding to his statement, Tillis said the Department of the Interior’s proposal would prevent individual states from unlocking their full energy potential.

Hudson co-chairs new energy caucus

Action on the future of oil drilling along the Atlantic Coast hasn’t only been confined to the U.S. Senate. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-8, along with three other southern Republicans were named co-chairs of a newly formed Atlantic Offshore Energy Caucus.

In a news release, the caucus is described as being formed to “advance policies that explore and expand energy production in the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf as part of an all-of-the-above national energy strategy.”

In addition to Hudson, Rep. Jeff Duncan, S.C.-3, and Rep. Scott Rigell, Va.-2, were also named co-chairs of the caucus.

“North American energy security, lower costs and more jobs are on the horizon, but inefficient red tape and regulations are blocking the way,” Hudson said in a release announcing his co-chair position. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance an all-of-the-above energy strategy that cuts through the burdensome regulations and responsibly unlocks our natural resources.”

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246