ATLANTA --- Even if the statewide water policy clears the few legislative hurdles remaining between it and Gov. Sonny Perdue's desk, its passage won't end the Legislature's debate.
The policy itself is far too vague for some, and doesn't move aggressively enough for others.
"There will be additional legislation on water," House Speaker Glenn Richardson, R-Hiram, said during debate on the measure.
Metro Atlanta legislators are pressing for a bill making it easier to build reservoirs and to build them more quickly. House and Senate members from downstream communities are pushing laws protecting their water supply from the state's largest communities. And environmentalists don't trust assurances from Mr. Perdue's office that the state will pay for needed water planning to put the policy in place even if the budget for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1, doesn't specifically include the expense.
Most of the ideas now being floated come from downstream lawmakers, who want assurances that the policy isn't simply legal cover for a massive water grab by Atlanta, caught in the grips of a historic drought.
Among the concerns are:
- The boundaries of water planning districts don't exactly mirror the state's river basins.
Lawmakers are concerned that the current districts often divide river basins and could dilute downstream communities' ability to counter metro Atlanta's plans.
The district including Atlanta straddles five of the state's six major river basins, upstream of much of the state.
- The plan conflicts with current state law.
Under the bill creating the Water Council -- a panel of lawmakers, residents and state agency heads that crafted the policy -- the water plan isn't supposed to conflict with state law.
But critics say it does, and they worry that any differences between the law and the policy would be resolved in metro Atlanta's favor. They argue that technical conflicts should have led lawmakers to change the law before passing the policy. Those overhauls could still be approved. - More legislative oversight is needed.
A measure proposed by Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, would create a legislative oversight committee that could put a hold on any rules the Department of Natural Resources' board approves dealing with the water plan. That hold would last until the Legislature and the governor got a chance to approve or veto the changes.
Many state agencies that pass rules and regulations already face that sort of oversight.
The proposal is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee on Wednesday.
Mr. Perdue's office isn't indicating his stance.
Meanwhile, some are questioning Mr. Perdue's assurances that his office has "identified" the funds to begin the more in-depth planning called for by the water policy without actually earmarking the funds in the state budget.
According to Mr. Brantley, state and federal funds would provide $11.1 million in the next fiscal year, the first installment of a three-year, $38 million plan.
"There is no line item because this is the amount needed in the first year of implementation, and we could do it out of existing funds," Mr. Brantley said.
House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin, R-Evans, said he isn't entirely comfortable with the source of the money not being spelled out in the budget.
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