A watered-down water bill becomes law in Georgia
It started as a wide-reaching proposal that supporters hoped could help end a long-running water feud with Florida. By the time the measure reached Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk, though, it had been watered down so much that both environmentalists and business groups were cheering the outcome.
The governor signed Senate Bill 213 into law Wednesday after more than a year of bickering among politicians, farmers, green groups and property rights activists. At the core of the debate were fears that it could give the state broad new powers to restrict and increase water flow along the state’s border with Florida.
An earlier version of the proposal would have given the state new power to restrict farmers from drawing water from the Flint River basin during dry spells. Critics, though, saw an opening that could allow the construction of a largely untested system of pumps that could siphon water downstream to Florida and rob property owners of their rights.
The measure that ultimately passed was a shell of the original. It’s designed to provide farm irrigation systems with greater efficiency and gives environmental regulators more powers to suspend water withdrawals during times of drought. Deal called it a “common-sense” approach to protect farmers from lawsuits and keep farms running during dry spells.
The Georgia Chamber, one of the state’s most powerful business interests, celebrated the final version of the bill. President Chris Clark said it upholds the “responsible management of water resources while enhancing our agricultural economic development efforts” along the river basin.
The Sierra Club, one of the most vocal opponents of the initial version, also praised the final law. Neill Herring, the group’s lobbyist, said he was heartened that the measure was changed from a “boondoggle” attempt to funnel water that would have been a costly failure.
About the Author
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
