Gov. Deal Reacts To Threat Of Florida Water Lawsuit

“It’s regrettable. I still stand ready to talk with him and with his team as we have done in the past. We felt like we were making significant progress,” said Deal.

Scott argues Georgia’s over-use of Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River has decimated Florida’s downstream oyster industry. He said Florida would take its case to the U.S. Supreme Court in September.

Deal said he was especially disappointed because a broader agreement between Georgia, Florida, and Alabama aimed at ending the decades-long water war had been close.

“It was a comprehensive framework. There were some portions of it that still were left to be negotiated but it was a significant step toward final resolution. At least we felt so and still believe so,” said Deal, declining to elaborate further on the proposal’s details.

In 2011, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled metro Atlanta had the right to tap into Lanier. The Supreme Court later declined to review the case, handing Georgia a big win in the interstate feud.

Deal said he suspects the latest legal threat may have something to do with Gov. Scott’s 2014 reelection bid.

“I hope this is not politics. I hope that it is something beyond just the mere fact we’re approaching election season,” said Deal.

Katherine Zitsch, a water expert with the Atlanta Regional Commission, says she feels for Florida’s struggling oystermen, but argues metro Atlanta has one of the nation’s most aggressive water conservation programs.

“From 2000 to 2010, water consumption across metro Atlanta has decreased by over 20 percent while population has increased by that same amount so we certainly understand our need to do our part,” said Zitsch.

Gov. Scott has previously stated over-fishing and drought helped deplete Florida’s oyster beds. But Tuesday Scott focused on Georgia, saying its unchecked water consumption is threatening the panhandle’s economic future.