WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court is giving Florida another chance to make its case that Georgia uses too much water and leaves too little for its southern neighbor.
The justices ruled 5-4 Wednesday in the long-running dispute between the two states. The fight is over Georgia's use of water from the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers that serve booming metro Atlanta and Georgia's powerful agricultural industry.
The court said that a special master appointed to hear the lawsuit should reconsider Florida's argument that limiting how much water Georgia uses would provide more for the Apalachicola river that flows into Apalachicola Bay and the nearby Gulf of Mexico.
Gov. Deal “confident” in Georgia’s legal position in ongoing water wars case, which the Supreme Court today remanded back to the Special Master. Statement here: https://t.co/XF3AhTDm7K
— Governor Nathan Deal (@GovernorDeal) June 27, 2018
The special master had recommended to the court that it side with Georgia and reject Florida's call for limiting water consumption from the Flint River.
After the ruling, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce released this statement:
The Georgia Chamber is disappointed in today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The decision failed to account for the proactive steps Georgia has taken over many years in being a responsible steward of its water resources. However, the Georgia Chamber will continue to advocate for a long-term solution to ACF Basin water management issues. As we’ve always stated, a water sharing agreement that is beneficial to, and can be supported by, all parties is the best solution. We will continue to work with our members and state and federal officials to achieve this goal in the most equitable manner possible. - Chris Clark, President and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce
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