ATLANTA (April 21, 2017) – Sen. Michael Williams (R – Cumming) is urging members of Congress to take action against the problem that the ‘water wars’ between Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida have created for metro Atlanta and Lake Lanier by voting against Senate Bill 398.
“I encourage our senators and representatives in Washington to recognize the problem that has been created by the disputed distribution of water between states,” said Sen. Williams. “The current problem we are facing is one of sustainability. We need to work together to develop a way to make Lake Lanier a sustainable water source for the people in metro Atlanta, South Georgia and those outside of our state. This ‘water war’ has lasted far too long and has cost our tax payers millions of dollars. This is a problem with a solution, we just have to be willing to meet in the middle, and that starts with saving Lake Lanier.”
The ‘water wars’ between Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama have been going on for almost 30 years. Recently, the litigation between Florida and Georgia resulted in a U.S. Supreme Court Master’s decision to side with Georgia on the issue of water usage in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee- Flint (AFC) watershed. In February, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced Senate Bill 398 which would require the Army Corps of Engineers to send more water to Florida through the releasing of water held in reservoirs, such as Lake Lanier, and dams.
The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for studying environmental impacts, usage and control of the ACF watershed. Senate Bill 398 would take this control away from the Corps of Engineers and instead create a Water Control Manual for the ACF watershed based on the study of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration of freshwater flows, which could lead to other states being in control of Georgia’s water supply.
For more information on Senate Bill 398, follow the link: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/398/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22398%22%5D%7D&r=1
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For Immediate Release:
April 21, 20147
For Information Contact:
Ines Owens, Acting Director
(404) 656-0028
ines.owens@senate.ga.gov