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By AMY DOMINELLO
Media General News Service
WASHINGTON – Alabama is tired of waiting. Georgia is less than optimistic. Only Florida is patient, at least publicly.
A resolution to the regional water wars the three states have fought the past 20 years doesn’t look good.
The recent drought in the Southeast gave new urgency to talks among the three states on long-range plans to share water, but hope is evaporating fast. Next stop may be the courts.
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said Tuesday in Washington that he was less than optimistic about the course of negotiations that had been extended to March 1 and now appear stalled again.
“The optimism has waned in the last few days,” he said.
Perdue said the talks deteriorated, in his view, because the issue is not as critical to Alabama and Florida. So they have less resolve to reach an agreement than Georgia does, he contended.
Georgia wants to protect its supply of drinking water in Lake Lanier in north Georgia for its growing population. Florida and Alabama are worried about how reducing water flows from north Georgia on rivers in their states could impact wildlife, fishing, farming, municipalities and power plants.
While Perdue said the talks were not dead, Todd Stacy, a spokesman for Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, said “there are no further plans for additional talks.”
Stacy said Alabama will move forward with litigation to protect its interests.
“Given the situation, there’s no reason not to move forward with legal options,” he said.
In Florida, state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole remains committed to keep working until a long-term agreement is reached, said his spokeswoman, Sarah Williams.
“For as long as it takes to hopefully resolve this issue,” said Williams, noting that officials of three states and federal agencies met as recently as Monday.
Media General News Service reporter Billy House contributed to this report.
Contact Amy Dominello at 202-662-7671 or adominello@mediageneral.com
Media General News Service
WASHINGTON – Alabama is tired of waiting. Georgia is less than optimistic. Only Florida is patient, at least publicly.
A resolution to the regional water wars the three states have fought the past 20 years doesn’t look good.
The recent drought in the Southeast gave new urgency to talks among the three states on long-range plans to share water, but hope is evaporating fast. Next stop may be the courts.
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said Tuesday in Washington that he was less than optimistic about the course of negotiations that had been extended to March 1 and now appear stalled again.
“The optimism has waned in the last few days,” he said.
Perdue said the talks deteriorated, in his view, because the issue is not as critical to Alabama and Florida. So they have less resolve to reach an agreement than Georgia does, he contended.
Georgia wants to protect its supply of drinking water in Lake Lanier in north Georgia for its growing population. Florida and Alabama are worried about how reducing water flows from north Georgia on rivers in their states could impact wildlife, fishing, farming, municipalities and power plants.
While Perdue said the talks were not dead, Todd Stacy, a spokesman for Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, said “there are no further plans for additional talks.”
Stacy said Alabama will move forward with litigation to protect its interests.
“Given the situation, there’s no reason not to move forward with legal options,” he said.
In Florida, state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole remains committed to keep working until a long-term agreement is reached, said his spokeswoman, Sarah Williams.
“For as long as it takes to hopefully resolve this issue,” said Williams, noting that officials of three states and federal agencies met as recently as Monday.
Media General News Service reporter Billy House contributed to this report.
Contact Amy Dominello at 202-662-7671 or adominello@mediageneral.com