ACT compact is better, but still not great

By Leann Doegg | November 05, 2001 | The Post | Cherokee County, AL

ROME, Ga. - The most recent newsletter released by the environmental watchdog group Coosa River Basin Initiative says negotiators in the tri-state water wars have succeeded in making needed improvements in the wording of the compacts. However, the letter also claims the agreement has a long way to go before it can become an "ecologically sound and hydrologically acceptable" document.

After the latest version of the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin Compact was released on July 6, negotiators agreed to compile and consider all available biological data. Even so, a water consumption cap previously set at 25 percent of the average annual daily flow was removed, leaving no numeric limit to the amount of water metro-Atlanta can siphon from the Coosa River basin.

An eighth extension is expected to be delivered next week during a meeting of the ACT commission in Atlanta. CRBI director Mitch Lawson said he believes the negotiating process is currently being held up by two ongoing lawsuits filed against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He says his group is now focusing on aggressive water conservation measures and claims that enough measures could negate the need for interbasin transfers altogether.

"There is some legislation going on in Georgia to limit interbasin transfers." Lawson said, "But they don't seem to have enough teeth to them to make a difference."

Brad McLane of the Alabama Rivers Alliance said he recently wrote a letter to the COE containing a "long list of questions about the proposal." He has yet to receive a response to the inquiry.

"We at ARA would like to see an attempt at some meaningful discussion," said McLane.

He said he is looking for negotiators to do more to clarify numerous concerns than just extend the compact deadline again.

According to Alabama Office of Water Resources Division Director Trey Glenn, Georgia representatives have proposed a change in location for the yet-to-be-built West Georgia Reservoir. The original plan placed the reservoir on the main stem of the Tallapoosa River, not far upstream from the Alabama/Georgia state line. The new location is on a creek off the main water channel.

He said his staff is very encouraged with this new proposal because it is being considered for local basin use. "It's not being discussed as a large interbasin transfer option for Atlanta," he said.

Glenn said representatives from his office intend to compare the new proposal with the former one to determine if any of its provisions might negatively impact downstream water supplies.

Although they fear further changes to the July 6 draft of the ACT proposal seem unlikely, local activist groups continue to monitor the negotiations with a renewed focus on water conservation.

"We're hoping to write a more extensive report on how we can reduce interbasin transfers and get what we want out of the agreement," said Lawson.

"The best thing we can do is keep the pressure on the negotiators," he added.

see also:

ACT not great Interest Stories - Environment: Watersharing plan improves, but still not great
Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin compact: better, still not great.

2001 News Breaking News Items - Personal Injury Attorney in the news
Our personal injury attorney firm, major newsmaker on a national level