July 21, 2009

State to appeal Lanier water withdrawal ruling

Gov. Perdue held a special meeting with legislators Thursday morning regarding the next steps in the state's response to a federal judge's ruling last week that could cut off much of metro Atlanta's consumption of water from Lake Lanier.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson ruled that Georgia must obtain congressional authorization within three years to continue withdrawing water from Lake Lanier, a federal reservoir operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The ruling was a blow to Georgia's ongoing negotiations with Alabama and Florida on the water issue.

Gov. Perdue issued the following statement Friday: "Obviously, I am deeply disappointed by Judge Magnuson's decision today. His conclusions rely on decades-old assumptions about the construction of federal reservoirs and the role those reservoirs play in providing water supply for growing states such as Georgia. Our country has changed substantially since the 1940s, when many of these reservoirs were constructed, and I will use this opportunity not only to appeal the judge's decision but, most importantly, to urge Congress to address the realities of modern reservoir usage. The judge's ruling allows a three- year window for either Congressional action or an agreement by the states and we will work diligently with Georgia's delegation and members of Congress to re-establish the proper use of federal reservoirs throughout the country."