By Associated Press
Atlanta, GA – The tri-state water battle that's been fought in four different courts for the past 17 years could be decided in Florida with one judge -- from Minnesota.
A federal panel of judges decided this week to bundle the four lawsuits filed by Georgia, Alabama, Florida and federal hydropower customers and let one judge decide them. The judge chosen for the case is U-S District Judge Paul Magnuson -- who was appointed by Reagan.
Magnuson handled a similar case several years ago involving multiple states in a fight over rights to the Missouri River.
Georgia, Alabama and Florida are fighting about water from the Chattahoochee River. Alabama and Florida have tried to stop the U-S Army Corps of Engineers from taking more water to supply metro Atlanta. Georgia wants to stop the corps from sending too much water downstream to Alabama and Florida.
The states are in court-ordered mediation, with a deadline of March 30th. The talks have been extended three times.
The Chattahoochee River flows through Lake Lanier. It is the main water supply for about three (m) million people in metro Atlanta.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)