Perdue gives an unprecedented briefing on water fight to eight candidates out to replace him

One of the most unusual hours in Georgia politics took place on the first floor of the state Capitol this afternoon, as Gov. Sonny Perdue gave a bipartisan, Power-Point briefing on the state’s legal fight for water to eight of the candidates who want to replace him.

The meeting was a continuation of the outreach Perdue has conducted since last month, when a federal judge ruled that most of metro Atlanta has no right to use Lake Lanier for drinking water. The ruling is considered a turning point in the 19-year fight among three states — Alabama, Florida and Georgia — over water and economic development.

The private meeting with candidates, one of whom will replace Perdue in January 2011, was unprecedented and served to underline the seriousness of the situation. Take the fact every major candidate chose to attend the meeting as evidence that the issue will be a hot one next year.

(We’ve been challenged on the use of the word “unprecedented.” Zell Miller, we’re told, gave a day-long briefing on the state’s economy before the 1998 election, inviting all the contestants. But Barnes was the only one to attend.)

The governor spoke to a relatively well-seasoned audience.

Roy Barnes, who conducted his own negotiations with Florida and Alabama over water when he was governor, was among those who sat around a circular table in a basement conference room. As was Attorney General Thurbert Baker, another Democrat, who has been involved the development of legal strategies.

In all, four Democrats and four Republicans showed. Republicans were Secretary of State Karen Handel, state Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, state Sen. Eric Johnson of Savannah, and state Rep. Austin Scott of Tifton.

Two Republicans were not there. U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal excused himself, having attended a similar session with the Georgia congressional delegation earlier in the week. Still trying to find out if states’ rights candidate Ray McBerry was invited.

In addition to Barnes and Baker, Democrats included House Democratic Leader DuBose Porter and David Poythress, former head of the Georgia National Guard.

Barnes asked a few questions about infrastructure funding, we’re told. He and Perdue shared at least one light-hearted exchange on the topic of Georgia’s border with Tennessee — which Georgia claims should be farther north, giving the state access to the Tennessee River. Scott was the candidate asking the most questions.

Afterwards, Barnes, Handel and Baker left quickly. But we were able to grab the five others.

Said Eric Johnson, Republican:

“It was a good briefing. Getting the candidates together from both sides of the aisle together, I think, was a good sign. Everybody in that room realizes the critical nature of the issue — and hopes that it’s resolved before one of us is elected.

‘It was very respectful. A former governor was at the table. The attorney general is involved in the litigation. All I can say is I’ve endorsed the strategy that the governor has pursued.”

Said John Oxendine, Republican:

“I want to commend [Perdue] for bring us together on a bipartisan basis. If I am blessed to be the next governor of the state of Georgia, I’ll be one of the first people to call the leaders together, and I’ll be there — shovel in hand — ready to start digging reservoirs.

“I hope it is resolved before the next administration, but I fear that one of us will have to inherit this problem.”

Said David Poythress, Democrat:

“It was basically a straight-up, non-partisan type of presentation. Not a lot of detail, but a good overview of where we stand. I think the governor was very responsible to ask candidates to come in and get the briefing.

“I think the chances of this being resolved before the end of next year are practically zero. I wish there were some silver bullet, but I don’t see it.”

Said Austin Scott, Republican:

“It was a good meeting, very fact-based. I leave that meeting very much convinced that conservation is the route Georgia must go now. We need to find the water systems that have the highest seepage rate, we need to start fixing those problems, do a cost benefit analysis [to see] where we can save the most water for the least amount of money. And we need to start today.

“Absolutely, it’s ahead of building reservoirs. The cheapest gallon of water is the one that you never use. As a fiscal conservative, I believe that conservation is the cheapest way to solve the problem. Seepage rates run anywhere from about 10 to about 18 percent.”

Said DuBose Porter, Democrat:

“I appreciate [Perdue] calling everybody in to brief us, and to bring us into what his strategy is. I think one of the main problems that we’re facing is that — because it restricts the flow of what comes out of Lake Lanier — the [statewide] water plan is basically in jeopardy. You have a water plan that was based on political lines instead of watersheds anyway. I think one of the first things we have to do is redesign our water plan.

“I think there needs to be more information. We asked about seepage. Those numbers I would have thought would been more readily available, as to what is leaking before it gets back into the water stream. I thing there are some things that need to be shored up, so we come in with some credibility.”

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