Left Flank

Image by Gregory.Skibinski via Flickr

The southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia have had a water problem for two decades. Two river systems, the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) and the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) start in Georgia and flow through Florida into the Gulf of Mexico. Water consumption in Georgia, particularly the ACF watering Atlanta, affects Alabama and Florida downstream. The US Army Corps of Engineers and the three states have fought in Federal court, and so far the Corps is trying to keep an even hand, by ruling in favor of Florida's aquaculture assets against Atlanta city dwellers' need for water. The Bush administration is also mediating the dispute through the Interior Department.

I performed a qualitative analysis of the State of the State addresses of the three disputant states, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for responses to this situation, or to the other two parties to the water dispute. Is there any indication of future policies on this issue in these three speeches?

Alabama's Governor Bob Riley rhetorically adopted the most combative language. Riley begins by exhorting Alabamians to conserve water. He then calls for a «Statewide assessment» of water resources. Riley mentions «Georgia» or «Georgians» eight times in three paragraphs (and mostly alone, or juxtaposed with «Alabama», «Federal» three times, «Florida» twice, and «Alabama» or «Alabamians» five times. The following paragraph speaks for itself:

Now there are some in Georgia who believe the water in those federal reservoirs belongs only to Georgians. However, Georgia didn't build those reservoirs and Georgia didn't pay for them. No. They were built with federal dollars, which means Alabama helped build them, Alabama helped pay for them, and Alabama has as much right to them as Georgia has ever had or ever will have.

Riley sounds most like someone willing to take strong measures to redress grievances.

Georgia's Governor Sonny Perdue's seven paragraphs on the water issue are as combative as Riley's, only a bit more understated. Generally, Perdue congratulates local and state initiatives to tackle the issue, stressing disagreement with Corps and Federal decisions. «Now, we don't want the state of Georgia to usurp the rightful role and responsibility of local government to provide for the adequate supply of clean drinking water. But we do want to support them in this endeavor.» Perdue also advocates conservation and responsible business decisions. «But hear me now – we will not allow others outside this state to hamper our progress by limiting our access to the waters that fall on our land. That will not happen on this Governor's watch.» Perdue skillfully never mentions either state, the Corps, or the Federal government.

Diametrically opposite in tone and substance to both Riley's and Perdue's speeches, Florida's Governor Charlie Crist never mentions the water dispute, either Alabama or Georgia, or the Corps or the Federal government. Crist also exhorts Floridians to conserve resources, and advocates a «gold to green» policy with businesses. Crist sticks to his campaign promise to make Everglades restoration a priority.

All three governors stress conservation efforts. Both Crist and Perdue adopt positive measures to correct the situation. Both Perdue and Riley adopt combative language aimed at each other. Crist sidesteps the issue entirely by sticking to his campaign promises. As an indication of future policy, these speeches characterize a preliminary, preparatory phase.

Now, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Sole has stepped up, criticizing the US Army Corps of Engineers.

But Soles' letter challenged whether Lanier is low enough to jeopardize the region's supply of drinking water. He said only the part of the lake now accessible by intake pipes has been described as nearly depleted.

«Bottom line, nearly half of Lake Lanier stored water is currently available, but is not being factored in, and therefore is no threat to municipal and industrial demands,» Sole stated.

The Apalachicola Riverkeeper group had yet to review Sole's letter but lashed out with its own criticism of the corps plan.

Georgia officials «intend to get the rights to as much water as they can, and the corps is working to their advantage,» said Dan Tonsmeire of the group.

Is this the Crist administration's style, walk softly, and deploy Mike Soles?