Florida wins a water battle

The U.S. Corps of Engineers had worked out a deal with Georgia that changed the way it was handling the Lake Lanier reservoir in Georgia to provide more water for Atlanta. Alabama and Florida sued. While the deal was never fully implemented, it did give Georgia the upper hand, since it had been upheld in courts.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. changed that today and said Alabama and Florida are right that this kind of change requires Congressional action: "Because the Agreement'€™s reallocation of Lake Lanier'€™s storage space constitutes a major operational change on its face and has not been authorized by Congress, we reverse the district court'€™s approval of the Agreement."

Check out the opinion here.

"The Corps may understandably be of the view that it faces a 'difficult situation,'...and is attempting to balance multiple interests and achieve a 'creative solution,' " the judges wrote. "However, Congress envisioned that changed circumstances or 'difficult situations' might arise and specified that any solution involving 'major operational . . . changes' required its prior authorization."

Comments

It is spelled water not watter

However you spell it, there is NO shortage.

How long will it take CC to claim victory? Photo Op, anyone, anyone??

[CP]

In response to the comment at 11:54 AM,

There is a HUGE WATER SHORTAGE. The entire southeast has been in a drought for a couple of years now. Have you been living under a rock? Most of the reservoirs in the southeast are well below their average level. It is so bad that some nuclear reactors will be forced to shutdown if the water levels do not rise.

[KP]

I live in Georgia(Atlanta) and there definitely is a water shortage! I agree with CP that most of the reservoirs in the southeast are well below the average levels. I hope that all of the states involved in this lawsuit can work out a solution that will benefit all!

[Chris W]

The only "solution" would be to stop building houses with big lawns that require a lot of water, and to stop watering golf courses.

and put a stop to unlimited growth.

Just remember...to conserve water:

If it's brown, flush it down.

If it's yellow, let it mellow.

There is no water shortage.

Maybe coke could stop shipping Dasani water all over the world. It is just Atlanta city water bottled. How many gallons would that restore to the supply?

Photo Op? Hello?

[terminator]

guess Atlanta's screwed.

maybe good ole Governor Purdue and the GA assembly might actually consider the effects of runaway urban sprawl (Florida are you listening)?

you live by the sword you die by the sword!

[terminator]

guess Atlanta's screwed.

maybe good ole Governor Purdue and the GA assembly might actually consider the negative effects of runaway urban sprawl (Florida are you listening)?

you live by the sword you die by the sword!

Charlie can't do the photo op cause he's still fiddling around out of state (Phoenix) tonight.

He won't be in tomorrow either cause he'll need a couple of vacation days to rest up from his hectic schedule.

So if the "people's Governor" office doors are locked and lights turned off just call Ballard and Smith or Mac over in Tampa!

[Chris W @ 12:44 translated]

I have a little house with a lousy lawn and I'm too fat & lazy to mow it. I don't play golf either and I resent those yuppies and rich people who do.

There is no water shortage.

[Chris W]

translated:

You can't hate people you never met before, but the evidence is pretty clear. To translate what *you* said:

I don't really care about water shortages because I'm a real estate speculator who is stuck with more houses than he can afford, and I need green lawns to unload them before the bank calls in my loans and makes me go back to the poor side of town and watch regular TV instead of HD.

[4:36]

Nice try but no cigar, CW. You're as unfunny as you are small-minded.

There is no water shortage.