Florida prevails in water fight

[Freddie Stubbs]

WASHINGTON --
(AP) -- The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington has declined Georgia's petition to reconsider a recent ruling that restricts the state's authority to tap a huge federal reservoir near Atlanta for more drinking water.

A three-judge panel of the court in February threw out an agreement that Georgia reached in 2003 with the Army Corps of Engineers.

The agreement -- the linchpin of Georgia's long-term water plans -- would have given the state about a quarter of Lake Lanier's capacity over the coming decades.

The court upheld Alabama and Florida, which argued that using even more of the lake for drinking water would constitute a major operational change that requires congressional approval.

''The court's decision in favor of Florida and Alabama has restructured the case and now we can finally move forward to get the determination we have been trying to get for more than 20 years,'' said lead outside attorney Parker D. Thomson, of Hogan & Hartson.

more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/536738.html

[DAGDA56]

1. Good, for now...but Tallahassee needs to take a hard look at more

desalination plants. (I think one of the biggest in the world is in Tampa)