Media General News Service
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said he planned to pray for rain.
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WASHINGTON - The Republican governors of Alabama, Georgia and Florida emerged from a meeting with Bush administration officials Thursday saying they've reached an interim plan to address their tri-state water crisis.
But Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said the "ultimate solution" may still have to come from a higher source.
"I'm going back to Georgia to pray for rain," he said.
Amid what has been a relentless Southeastern drought, the interim agreement reached Thursday gives the Army Corps of Engineers the flexibility reduce the outflow from Lake Lanier in Georgia into the Chattahoochee River in phases - up to a total of 16 percent -- to protect the shrinking drinking water supply for metro Atlanta.
But to address concerns of Florida and Alabama about such a reduction of that flow into the Apalachicola and Flint rivers and consequences for wildlife, fishing, farming and power plants, the Corps would closely monitor the impact every two weeks until the water is reduced.
The plan still must be approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In remarks after their meeting at the Department of Interior, all parties emphasized it is not a permanent approach to the region's water problems.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said the governors and federal officials will meet again Dec. 12 in Tallahassee. They hope to have a final plan to address regional water concerns given to the Army Corps of Engineers by February.
"If it were easy, it would have been done 18 years ago," said Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who mediated Thursday's talks. "It won't be solved in 18 days."
Perdue argues the flow from Lake Lanier in his state must be limited to protect the needs of the people of Georgia, including the drinking water supply for metro Atlanta. He has contended that Alabama already gets more water than necessary for nuclear plant and other needs, and that wildlife should not trump the needs of people.
But Alabama Gov. Bob Riley worries that a nuclear plant and other Alabama industries that use water from the Chattahoochee will have to close. He is concerned as well about the impact upon farmers.
Crist and previous Florida governors have argued that curtailing water flowing from Georgia will severely harm the Apalachicola Bay's commercial fishing industry, and well as federally protected mussel species.
Riley said his concerns that plants will have to stop operating are addressed sufficiently in the interim agreement.
"We'll be fine," he said. But he later said failure of the three states to come together on a longer-range plan to address the regional water shortage "is not an option."
"We care a great deal, obviously, like the other governors do, about our people, about our fish, and about environment," said Crist. "And those are the things we are trying to protect in the Sunshine State," he said.
"We want to make sure that our fishermen that need this water in order to survive, and feed their families, have that opportunity," Crist said.
But Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said the "ultimate solution" may still have to come from a higher source.
"I'm going back to Georgia to pray for rain," he said.
Amid what has been a relentless Southeastern drought, the interim agreement reached Thursday gives the Army Corps of Engineers the flexibility reduce the outflow from Lake Lanier in Georgia into the Chattahoochee River in phases - up to a total of 16 percent -- to protect the shrinking drinking water supply for metro Atlanta.
But to address concerns of Florida and Alabama about such a reduction of that flow into the Apalachicola and Flint rivers and consequences for wildlife, fishing, farming and power plants, the Corps would closely monitor the impact every two weeks until the water is reduced.
The plan still must be approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In remarks after their meeting at the Department of Interior, all parties emphasized it is not a permanent approach to the region's water problems.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said the governors and federal officials will meet again Dec. 12 in Tallahassee. They hope to have a final plan to address regional water concerns given to the Army Corps of Engineers by February.
"If it were easy, it would have been done 18 years ago," said Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who mediated Thursday's talks. "It won't be solved in 18 days."
Perdue argues the flow from Lake Lanier in his state must be limited to protect the needs of the people of Georgia, including the drinking water supply for metro Atlanta. He has contended that Alabama already gets more water than necessary for nuclear plant and other needs, and that wildlife should not trump the needs of people.
But Alabama Gov. Bob Riley worries that a nuclear plant and other Alabama industries that use water from the Chattahoochee will have to close. He is concerned as well about the impact upon farmers.
Crist and previous Florida governors have argued that curtailing water flowing from Georgia will severely harm the Apalachicola Bay's commercial fishing industry, and well as federally protected mussel species.
Riley said his concerns that plants will have to stop operating are addressed sufficiently in the interim agreement.
"We'll be fine," he said. But he later said failure of the three states to come together on a longer-range plan to address the regional water shortage "is not an option."
"We care a great deal, obviously, like the other governors do, about our people, about our fish, and about environment," said Crist. "And those are the things we are trying to protect in the Sunshine State," he said.
"We want to make sure that our fishermen that need this water in order to survive, and feed their families, have that opportunity," Crist said.