Florida loses latest water war battle with Georgia

The State of Florida has taken a big hit in the ongoing water war it is currently waging against its neighbors to the north, Georgia.

After U.S. Circuit Judge Paul Kelly Jr recommended that the U.S. Supreme Court reject Florida’s petitioning of the court to impose water usage limits on Georgians for the next 30 years.

Florida Congressman Neal Dunn (R), whose congressional district bumps up against Georgia’s southern border, was very disappointed and outlined the damage Georgia’s water usage has caused Florida industries, its ecosystem, and Floridian’s in general.

“Judge Kelly’s recommendation is very disappointing and completely ignores the decades of damage that Georgia’s water use has had on families and the ecosystem in Florida,” stated Dunn “Last year, the Supreme Court recognized that Florida has been harmed as a result of decreased water flow to the ACF River Basin. They established that Georgia’s unchecked and excessive water usage has harmed Florida and cost us jobs, particularly in our oyster industry. I trust that the Supreme Court will stand by their previous acknowledgment and ensure Florida gets its fair share of water.”

Background

Congressman Dunn has been working from his first days in Congress to seek an equitable solution for the communities along the Apalachicola River and Bay.

 In February of 2017, Dr. Dunn questioned the Corps of Engineers about the ACF River Basin. He also led a letter, signed by the entire Florida House delegation, to the Corps calling for it to halt implementation of the Water Control Manual immediately and meet with stakeholders.

In July of 2017, Dr. Dunn led a letter, signed by the entire Florida House delegation, urging President Trump to ensure the Corps takes a neutral role and refrains from intervening in Florida v. Georgia.