Georgia, Alabama and Florida Governors to Meet About Water

Governor Sonny Perdue announced December 7 that he will meet with the governors of Alabama and Florida in Montgomery, Alabama on Tuesday, December 15 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time (12:30 p.m. Central time) to discuss the ongoing water dispute between the three states.

The meeting will take place at the Wynfield Estate at the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park in Montgomery.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page

Graves’ Statement Regarding Tri-State Water Dispute

Republican State Representative Tom Graves (R-Ranger), candidate for the 9th Congressional District of Georgia, released the following statement after last Friday’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson that shifts Lake Lanier’s water allocation to Congress concerning the tri-state water dispute:

“I am troubled by the federal judge’s decision regarding Lake Lanier’s water. His ruling Friday could be one of the largest takings of state’s rights that this country has seen in modern history. Giving the federal government this enormous power to decide a dispute that should be delegated among the states is unconscionable. I urge our Governor to take the necessary steps to a speedy resolution of this matter. As the next Congressman for North Georgia, I will vehemently oppose attempts by those in Washington to try and take our most precious resource whose genesis is in the mountains of North Georgia and will unite with other Georgia leaders to fight for a fair and equitable solution that's right for Georgia.”
---
Community News You Can Use
Follow us on Twitter: @gafrontpage
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
www.PoliticalPotluck.com
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
---

New Water Policy Institute White Paper Offers Blueprint for Resolving Southeastern Water Wars

/PRNewswire/ -- The Water Policy Institute, a non-partisan consortium dedicated to developing innovative, sustainable solutions for water supply, quality and use issues, announces the release of a white paper that examines the water consumption issues driving many water disputes and provides a blueprint for resolution.

"Water Wars: Conflicts Over Shared Waters," the first white paper produced by the Institute, focuses on the long-running war over water among Georgia, Florida and Alabama in the wake of the Southeast drought and the challenges resulting from a growing water footprint and increased consumption, both in the U.S. and worldwide.

"The water war in the Southeastern U.S. serves as a microcosm of water disputes occurring in the U.S. and throughout the world," said Kathy Robb, founder and director of the Water Policy Institute, and a partner at the law firm Hunton & Williams LLP. "This dispute has been made much worse in recent years by growing demand for the limited amount of water available."

The Southeast dispute shares many similarities with water conflicts worldwide, including competition for drinking water in an area of growth and development; increased agricultural needs; endangered and imperiled species protection; navigation, hydropower, fishing and other commercial disputes; and conflict between upstream and downstream users.

"Water supply, quality, and use issues pose major challenges for governments at every level, both in the U.S. and globally," said former EPA Administrator and New Jersey Governor, Christine Todd Whitman, president of the Whitman Strategy Group and chair of the Water Policy Institute. "The Water Policy Institute will continue to publish white papers that examine timely subjects and offer new ideas and potential solutions."

The Institute's white paper provides a guide for looking at and resolving the issues at the core of the Georgia, Florida and Alabama dispute and, by extension, other water wars. Among its proposals: that states hold off on pending litigation while President Obama appoints a federal moderator to facilitate an interstate compact, and that various studies be completed to explore how conservation, reclamation and reuse tools can lead to greater water efficiency.

"Our aim was to explore the root causes of water disputes and provide a suggested path for their resolution," added Robb.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page