ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
3-STATE FIGHT OVER WATER IS ON AGAIN
Florida seeks safeguards for river basin
Author: STACY SHELTON
Date: August 23, 2003A week before the deadline to sign a tri-state water-sharing deal, Georgia, Alabama and Florida are bickering again.
Gov. Sonny Perdue and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley sent a letter Friday to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush asking him to stick to the tentative agreement the Republican governors signed in July. Florida has been trying to tack on additional conditions regarding the Chattahoochee River that are not spelled out in the memorandum of understanding.
The content of the letter was disclosed by government officials close to the negotiations. Attempts on Friday to obtain a copy of the letter -- a public document -- from the offices of Perdue, Bush and Riley were unsuccessful.
Bush and his chief negotiator, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary David Struhs, said they had doubts about key elements of the pact even before it was signed. Georgia and Alabama are standing firm, and apparently united.
The Florida team is trying to get some assurance that the Chattahoochee, which flows into the Apalachicola River and its bay in Florida, will be allowed to ebb and flow as close to its natural state as possible. They worry a water grab -- mostly by metro Atlanta -- will turn the guaranteed minimum flow in the river at Chattahoochee, Fla., into all they get year round.
According to the memorandum of understanding, a minimum flow of at least 37,000 gallons a second at the state line "will be maintained on a weekly basis at all times."
Without the natural fluctuations that occasionally push the river over its banks, the delicately balanced fresh and salt water habitats for oysters and other sea life in Apalachicola Bay are likely to be damaged.
Georgia officials have been leery of making guarantees beyond minimum flows.
They want to maintain as much flexibility as possible in making use of the state's rivers and streams. They've already compromised on one point: Pushing the agreement out to 2040, ten years beyond when state officials estimate metro Atlanta's growth will have outstripped the amount of water Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River can provide.
The sides have until Aug. 31 to either extend their negotiations, or sign a deal. If they fail to do either, the only option is to go to the U.S. Supreme Court for a costly conclusion. Multiple lawsuits already have been filed by the three states since the water wars broke out in 1990. The suits are on hold in several federal courts.
While Georgia and Alabama flexed their combined muscles, a Florida legislator also took the tough-guy approach. State Rep. Allan Bense, a Republican from Panama City said this week he has urged Bush to break off the talks and go to court.
"If Georgia cannot commit enough water to ensure the survival of the Apalachicola, then it's time to litigate," Bense said in a prepared statement.
THE ANNISTON STAR
Conroy And Thomas Replaced As
Federal Commissioners Of Water CompactsEarly October 2002 marked the start of a new chapter for the ACT/ACF Water Basin Compact Commissions as the Bush administration replaced Federal Commissioners Pete Conroy and Lindsay Thomas with new appointments. Appointed by President Bill Clinton and retained by President George W. Bush for nearly two years, Conroy and Thomas addressed an audience attending an ACT/ACF public session on October 2nd. Both men expressed confidence in the compact process and emphasized that it had been an honor for them to have served. Conroy served as Alternate Federal Commissioner and Thomas served as Federal Commissioner to both ACT and ACF Compact Commissions.
Conroy and Thomas were replaced by Mr. Drayton Nabors of Birmingham, Alabama and Mr. Alec Pointvint of Bainbridge, Georgia. Nabors will serve as Federal Commissioner of the ACT Commission and Alternate Federal Commissioner of the ACF Commission. Pointvint will serve as Federal Commissioner of the ACF Commission and Alternate Federal Commissioner of the ACT Commission.
WHITE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
President Clinton names W. Peter Conroy as Alternate Federal Commissioner to the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin Compact Commission and to the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin Compact Commission
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
January 27, 1999The President today announced his intent to appoint W. Peter Conroy to serve as the Alternate Federal Commissioner to the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin Compact Commission and to the Alabama-Coosa, Tallapoosa River Basin Compact Commission.
Mr. W. Pete Conroy, of Anniston, Alabama has served as Director of Jacksonville State University's Environmental Policy and Information Center since 1995. Previously, Mr. Conroy served as the Governor's Liaison for Environmental Affairs and as a member of the Governor's Executive Cabinet. From 1985 to 1993, Mr. Conroy served as the Curator of Natural History and Education/Research Department Head for the Anniston Museum of Natural History. From 1982 to 1985, Mr. Conroy served as the Director of Public Affairs and Education for the University of Georgia Museum of Natural History. Mr. Conroy is currently a member of the Weiss Lake Conservation Task Force, the Cheaha Creek Protection Team, the Lake Water Quality Standards Discussion Group, and the Fort McClellan Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge Development Team. He chaired the Alabama Wetlands Mitigation Banking Task Force and he served on the Alabama Environmental Council (formerly the Alabama Conservancy). Mr. Conroy serves as a Member of the Forever Wild Land Trust and as Director of the Little River Canyon Field School.
Mr. Conroy received his B.A. in Biology from Furman University and an M.A. in Zoology from the University of Georgia.
The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin Compact Commission (ACF) and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin Compact Commission (ACT) are newly created compact commissions established in 1997. The ACF's purpose is to establish and modify an allocation formula for apportioning the surface waters of the ACF Basin among the States of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The ACTs purpose is to establish and modify an allocation formula for apportioning the surface waters of the ACT Basin between the States of Alabama and Georgia.
THE ANNISTON STAR
Fluid Appointment
January 28, 1999A friendly shot in the Alabama-Georgia-Florida "Water Wars" landed close to home Wednesday when a Calhoun County resident was named by President Clinton to help oversee the water talks.
Pete Conroy, an Anniston resident and Jacksonville State University environmental program director, will serve as Alternate Federal Commissioner for the often acrimonious talks to find a formula for dividing up water flowing between the three states.
The federal position acts as a sort of referee between the states, responsible for confirming that any final agreement complies with federal law. Along with acting Commissioner Lindsay Thomas of Georgia, Conroy will now have the last say on an agreement formed by the state negotiating teams.
Conroy said he was excited and pleased with the appointment Tuesday, when he learned about it. He was unavailable Wednesday for comment.
The Alternate Commissioner can supplement the Commissioner in case of scheduling conflicts, which is significant because timing problems have prevented the states from meeting since December. Alabama and Georgia agreed to extend their deadline for reaching a formula until Dec. 31, 1999.
Negotiating teams from Alabama, Georgia, and Florida have been considering plans for distributing water fairly from two river basins - the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa - that both begin in Georgia.
A disagreement in 1990 spawned the wars, when Alabama sued Georgia for taking a disproportionate share of the water before it reached Alabama. Sprawling Atlanta and its surrounding communities created a new demand for water. The lawsuit led to long-term discussions to set rules for the amount of water that can be used by each state.
The agreement will set water requirements for the next half century, effecting future generations of Alabama anglers and boaters, who could see changes in the water level of popular nearby places like Weiss, Neely Henry, and Logan Martin lakes.
Conroy, who has attended statewide water discussion meetings from the beginning, will have a short learning curve to catch up with the discussions. A former Alabama government environmental liaison and cabinet member to Governor Jim Folsom, Conroy has experience working with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and groups like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
He brings a technical knowledge of environmental issues that will advance the talks, said Commissioner Thomas, a former U.S. Congressman and Director of Georgia's Chamber of Commerce.
"This really helps complete the federal team that is working in these negotiations," Thomas said. "Pete will be a strong ally, and I look forward to working with him. I think it is very positive for the negotiations and for the whole process."
U.S. Representative Bob Riley overcame initial doubts about Conroy, saying he supports the appointment. The local congressman had originally favored a candidate from outside the area, but changed his mind after a recent conversation with Conroy reinsured that the local candidate could be unbiased.
"I think Pete is knowledgeable and commend the President for making a good appointment," said Riley, R-Ashland. "When I wrote the President a letter, I asked him to get someone as bipartisan as possible, and I think Pete will do that. The last thing we need to do is put any stumbling blocks in front of these negotiations."
The appointment became a campaign issue during 1998, when Democratic candidate Joe Turnham openly supported Conroy, compared with Riley, who dispatched a letter suggesting Conroy not be considered for the open spot.
"More than Pete, it was advantageous (to get) an Alabamian and someone with a conservation and environmental background," Turnham said. "I think Pete is a healthy juxtaposition to Lindsay Thomas, who is a Georgian and (executive director) of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. I think (Conroy) will be very fair in his decision between the states."
Alabama's chief negotiator said the Alternate Federal Commissioner is largely an oversight role to the state teams, a key position for a successful agreement.
"They're here to help guide us through a minefield of federal laws," said Richard Laird, a Democratic state representative from Roanoke. "I know Pete has a wide background in environmental issues, and that will come into play when we reach some water compact agreements. I think he will be one that sits at the table and listens intently to protect the citizens of all three states."
