The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously refused a request from Alabama and Florida for a new hearing on the use of Lake Lanier as a water source for metro Atlanta. In June, a three-judge panel unanimously overturned the 2009 order from U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson that set a three year deadline for Georgia, Alabama and Florida to reach an agreement on how water in Lake Lanier should be allocated among the three states. The consequences of not reaching a compromise would mean Georgia could only withdraw the same amount of water as it did in the mid-1970s when the population was only a third of the size it is now which could be devastating to economic development in the state. The three-judge panel issued a new one year deadline to the Army Corps of Engineers to determine how water should be allocated among the three states.
Governor Deal spokesman Brian Robinson stated, “Today’s ruling gives the state of Georgia finality on this issue and allows us to move forward in our negotiations with the governors of Alabama and Florida.” You can learn read the full decision and learn more at the links below.