THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, January 11, 1997            TAG: 9701110336
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                          LENGTH:   28 lines

GILMORE FILE D.C. BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF PIPELINE

Virginia Beach is getting some help from state Attorney General James S. Gilmore III in its fight with North Carolina over the Lake Gaston pipeline.

Gilmore filed a brief Friday in the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals supporting Virginia Beach.

``This entire case is about North Carolina's attempt to seize control of water in Virginia,'' Gilmore said. ``North Carolina is fighting a turf war, not protecting Lake Gaston.''

Lake Gaston lies mostly in North Carolina, but Virginia Beach has secured a federal permit to build a 76-mile pipeline and draw water out of a portion of the lake that lies in Virginia. North Carolina is appealing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's permit for the project.

North Carolina contends the 60 million gallons of water a day the pipeline would remove from the Roanoke River basin could hurt the downstream environment. Its appeal will be argued in Washington on Feb. 4.

The pipeline is under construction and, barring further court delays, expected to begin carrying water by April 1998.

KEYWORDS: LAKE GASTON PIPELINE