Isakson confident tri-state water deal will be made
For the AJC
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said Saturday that he is confident Georgia, Alabama and Florida will reach an agreement on the allocation of water from Lake Lanier, but he also said Congress will be forced to act because other states face similar conditions.
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The tri-state conflict over the use of water in the Chattahoochee River recently led to a ruling in July by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson that would bar the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from drawing water from Lake Lanier to meet the needs of metro Atlanta's residents. Magnuson stayed the case for three years to give the three states time to work out a water-sharing plan.
“It was such a catastrophic ruling by the judge, but the judge may have done us a favor,” Isakson told a group of about 100 constituents at a town hall meeting in Cumming.
He said there are 27 states that, like Georgia, use reservoirs for drinking water that were not created for that purpose.
“Congress will have to act,” he told the crowd at West Forsyth High School.
The senator said he believes Georgia, Alabama and Florida will work out an agreement before Congress works through an allocation agreement, and he expressed confidence in Georgia’s leadership on the Water Contingency Task Force.
“I think we will find the common ground to get it done,” Isakson said.
Isakson took questions on a variety of topics during the question-and-answer forum.
On Afghanistan the senator said he supports sending more troops if a surge is recommended by U.S. military generals.
“If we back away from our commitment to win that war in Afghanistan, we’ve made a big mistake,” he said.
On health care, Isakson said the Senate bill coming to the floor will cut Medicare and curtail Medicare Advantage for senior citizens, both measures he would fight against. He assured the largely senior citizen crowd that long-term care insurance would be honored by Senate health care reform.
He also told veterans that their military health care benefits are safe and they won’t be required to go to private health care.
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