Upon further reflection, I like to commend the leadership of the Apalachicola Board of City Commissioners for their foresight and fortitude in entering the tri-state water wars litigations. As the 20-year old court battle nears its end, it appears that not only was it the right thing to do, but also the only thing to do.
At Monday’s May 11, hearing in Jacksonville, it appeared that every community upstream of Apalachicola from the smallest hamlet to metro Atlanta had a seat at the table arguing their rights to the waters of the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint (ACF) River System.
From the key tri-state players, Florida, Alabama and Georgia to the Southeastern Federal Power Company Customers, along with the Atlanta Regional Commission which represents four Georgia counties in addition to the cites of Gainesville and Atlanta. Even the Lake Lanier Homeowners Association along with the Alabama Power Company all had seats at the table.
What’s particularly noteworthy is that the Lake Lanier Homeowners Association is made up of a group of lake front residents, individuals, businesses, boaters, and fishermen, which felt compelled to enter the fray to fight for their rights to this limited natural resource.
I commend this group as well, for realizing early on that the tri-state water rights conflict was a high stakes game and for stepping in to protect the water levels around their lake front homes.
Which is and should be very important to them, likewise the protection of the estuary of Apalachicola River and Bay should’ve been just as important to every man, woman, child, shrimper, oysterman, businessman and elected official whose communities boarders the ACF.
However, the only Florida defenders at the table during the May 11, hearing were the State of Florida itself, and the small city of Apalachicola.
Everyone else in the State that boarders the ACF or depend upon its resources only contribution appears to have been a large dose of lip service and a letter writing campaign.
In fact, the Lake Lanier Homeowners Association is now gearing up for phase two of the battle by soliciting donations through their website to help fund their legal war chest.
For the rest of us downstream, I just hope that at the end of day, the old saying, “you want miss the water until the well runs dry” isn’t true.
At Monday’s May 11, hearing in Jacksonville, it appeared that every community upstream of Apalachicola from the smallest hamlet to metro Atlanta had a seat at the table arguing their rights to the waters of the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint (ACF) River System.
From the key tri-state players, Florida, Alabama and Georgia to the Southeastern Federal Power Company Customers, along with the Atlanta Regional Commission which represents four Georgia counties in addition to the cites of Gainesville and Atlanta. Even the Lake Lanier Homeowners Association along with the Alabama Power Company all had seats at the table.
What’s particularly noteworthy is that the Lake Lanier Homeowners Association is made up of a group of lake front residents, individuals, businesses, boaters, and fishermen, which felt compelled to enter the fray to fight for their rights to this limited natural resource.
I commend this group as well, for realizing early on that the tri-state water rights conflict was a high stakes game and for stepping in to protect the water levels around their lake front homes.
Which is and should be very important to them, likewise the protection of the estuary of Apalachicola River and Bay should’ve been just as important to every man, woman, child, shrimper, oysterman, businessman and elected official whose communities boarders the ACF.
However, the only Florida defenders at the table during the May 11, hearing were the State of Florida itself, and the small city of Apalachicola.
Everyone else in the State that boarders the ACF or depend upon its resources only contribution appears to have been a large dose of lip service and a letter writing campaign.
In fact, the Lake Lanier Homeowners Association is now gearing up for phase two of the battle by soliciting donations through their website to help fund their legal war chest.
For the rest of us downstream, I just hope that at the end of day, the old saying, “you want miss the water until the well runs dry” isn’t true.
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