Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp are hailing a new agreement as a “win-win” solution in a long conflict centering around water rights and access in the Chattahoochee River Basin.
The legal battle started in 1990 when Alabama, Georgia, and Florida started legal proceedings over water rights in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin. Today, the Governors said we have finality.
“This agreement is a win-win for our states, with neither side sacrificing what is important to them,” said Governor Kemp.
“The Chattahoochee River is the lifeblood of southwest Georgia, and this proposal would give citizens and businesses certainty about the flow of water they need for business and leisure alike. Just as significant, adoption of this proposal would end the current issues related to water supply for metro Atlanta at Lake Lanier, which is crucial to the future of our State.”
“I agree with Governor Kemp that this is a win-win solution for both Alabama and Georgia,” Ivey said.
“Alabama and Georgia have a lot in common. But we have spent a lot of time — and a lot of money on attorney fees — fighting in court over water. This proposal is a big deal for Alabama as the Corps has never before set minimum water-flow objectives in the parts of the Chattahoochee that affect us. It would provide Alabama with long-term assurances that, in times of drought, our citizens will be protected, and our stakeholders will know how much water is coming their way.”
According to the joint announcement, under the agreement, the Corps of Engineers will begin formally considering a first-of-its-kind proposal to operate its dams and reservoirs to achieve minimum water-flow objectives at Columbus, Georgia, and Columbia, Alabama on the Chattahoochee River along the States’ border.
The Corps’ consideration of the proposal will be subject to a public-comment period and environmental review that could last several months. If the Corps adopts the proposal, Alabama will dismiss its appeal in this matter following a one-year review period, and the litigation will end. If the Corps does not adopt the proposal, Alabama’s lawsuit will resume.
U.S. Senator Katie Britt celebrated the state-to-state diplomacy, saying it “would give Alabamians certainty and ensure the people and communities of our state in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin have fair access to water supply.”
This is welcome news and a positive development. If finalized, this deal would give Alabamians certainty and ensure the people and communities of our state in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin have fair access to water supply. https://t.co/XCn3tUmZOA
— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) December 12, 2023
Both governors thanked and commended state officials who have been essential to bringing about this agreement — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, as well as officials in the Alabama Office of Water Resources and the Georgia Department of Environmental Protection.
The governors also thanked the Corps of Engineers for its willingness to initiate the formal process of considering this proposal.
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
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