By Alabama Public Radio
Tuscaloosa AL – Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has sent letters to the Governors in Alabama and Florida seeking a meeting aimed at resolving a long standing water sharing dispute that has reached new heights in recent weeks. Perdue's letter says "I believe that our personal involvement in mediation at this time is essential.'' The letter was sent two days after Georgia attempted to block a federal court order that sent more water from Lake Seminole to support environmental protections for endangered mussels in Apalachicola, Florida. A federal judge in Birmingham has also aid she wants some fast progress made on the issue, and has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow for those who have "absolute authority" in the matter. The three states have been at odds over how to share the Apalachicola-Chatahoochee Flint river basin since Alabama sued over the matter in 1990. Numerous efforts in recent years to resolve the matter have failed.