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1 he governor s budget balancing recommendations on the Assembly’s opening night will be sure to kick up stormy debate when the time comes to attempt to translate them into legislation.
While the budget will occupy the Assembly’s center stage, it will be only one of the acts which will claim the lawmakers’ attention.
For aficionados of what might be called legislative *’ martial arts, the coming battle over the coal slurry pipeline will offer a dazzling display of every thrust and parry in the highpressure lobbyists’ hand\ book.
At issue is the proposed construction of a pipeline from the coal fields of southwest Virginia to the Hampton Roads ports.
Under present law such a pipeline cannot be built because there is no staituatory authority to condemn the land required for the right of way on which to build it.
The Virginia Electric and Power Co. and other utilities strongly favor the pipeline. They contend its construction, by providing a cheaper way to transport coal, would result in vast savings to their customers. They want the law changed to allow the State Corporation Commission to grant the condemnation Authority if the SCC considers the project justified.
But the railroads, which presently haul the coal, understandably disagree. They say that the pipeline could never be economically feasible, and besides, giving authority to the SCC to make the decision on its construction is a clever dodge designedeto make the proposal monTpattilable to members of the General Assembly by getting the issue off their backs.
Both sides have lined up teams of highly paid lobbyists to push their causes, and a mammoth battle between 4he railroad
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