Georgia could sue Tennessee if a long-running boundary dispute isn’t resolved under legislation given final approval Tuesday.
The state House voted 157-13 to approve House Resolution 4, which seeks to tap the Tennessee River as a source of drinking water for Georgia. which has struggled to boost its own supply amid record growth and, as of late, drought.
Georgia’s disputed claim to the river dates to 1818, when some say a surveyor flubbed in setting the boundary with Tennessee by more than a mile — in essence marking the boundary of Georgia’s northwest corner just south of the river, out of reach to the Peach State.
Tennessee officials have rebuffed attempts since then to make any changes.
The resolution is Georgia’s second attempt in five years to stake a claim on land north of the state line, providing access to the river. The 1.5 square miles wanted by the state is home to no residents but is just large enough to put a pipe through to the river.
The House passed HR 4 in February, but without a threat of litigation. The state Senate added that piece Monday.
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