Georgia to ramp up water wars

GEORGIA: Augusta Chronicle: Gov. Perdue prepares to ramp up water war battle

As offensive strategy in the tri-state water wars, Georgia will draw the focus on Florida's environmental record and dredge up a 150-year old ruling that could give Alabama less control of a key river, Gov. Sonny Perdue said Thursday to the Associated Press.

In response, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley said Georgia has already raised the 150-year old ruling in court without success. "It has about as much chance of solving Atlanta's water problem as does Gov. Perdue's argument last year that Georgia's border with Tennessee was drawn incorrectly 200 years ago," Mr. Riley said. He said Mr. Perdue is indulging in "saber rattling and pointless posturing" instead of seeking a compromise.

On Florida, Gov. Perdue said, "When I fly over Florida, you know what I see? Canals everywhere. What are they used for? Irrigation, agriculture. If we tried to create the canals that Florida has, we'd be sunk. The beaches of Florida don't look like the barrier islands of Georgia. Those are the points I'm prepared to make if we want to play hardball."

It should be interesting.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gov. Riley likely to call for special legislative session next week

ARKANSAS: State wins anti-trust ruling over tobacco fees

FLORIDA: Gov. Crist backing away from cap-and-trade policy, may cancel climate change summit

KENTUCKY: Sierra Club to sue in effort to block two new coal plants

LOUISIANA: Passenger train between Baton Rouge and New Orleans under consideration

MISSISSIPPI: State GOP leaders travel around Mississippi to talk about Voter ID proposal

NORTH CAROLINA: Democrats, avoiding health forums, call them "GOP set-ups"

SOUTH CAROLINA: Four sea islands vulnerable to erosion

TENNESSEE: State to cut prison population by 3,000 over two years

VIRGINIA: Lawmakers face tough cuts to get budget balanced

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