Federal court rules in Georgia's favor over water rights
July 6, 2011
Georgia: Last week the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit overturned an earlier ruling that had created a deadline for water rights between Georgia, Alabama and Florida. At stake is water from Lake Lanier, which the state of Georgia planned to continue using to satisfy the needs of Atlanta residents. In 2009, Judge Paul Magnuson determined that an agreement for water rights over the lake must be reached by July 2012 or else Atlanta would only receive water equal to levels in the mid-70s.[1]
The case was heard and ruled on unanimously by a three-judge panel of the court. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley announced his disappointment with the ruling. He says the next step for the state is to ask the full Eleventh Circuit Court to hear the case.[1]
While the immediate pressure of the deadline has been lifted for Atlanta, the panel still gave the Army Corps of Engineers only one year to settle the issue of water rights over the lake.[1]
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