Deal bolsters state team in preparation for Supreme Court water war case

ATLANTA - Gov. Nathan Deal today announced the establishment of an office for interagency coordination and management of water resources - ramping up the state team already in place for the Supreme Court water war case. <br /> <br /> Deal has appointed Judson H. Turner, Director of the state's Environmental Protection Division (EPD), to head the new office. Turner will also remain the EPD Director. <br /> <br /> "The U.S. Supreme Court case filed by Florida against Georgia over the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Basin has placed significant new demands on state agencies involved in these matters," said Deal. "Add to this the renewed litigation against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over additional water supply from Lake Allatoona, and the workload requires the state to take additional steps to assure we have the right staff in place. Jud is a subject matter expert with years of experience in the water wars; he is the right person to lead this effort, a task incredibly important to the well-being of our state's people and its economy."<br /> <br /> Turner will work closely with Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, his legal team and a number of Special Assistant Attorneys General on matters related to case management of the complex litigation. John Allen, of Kazmarek, Mowery, Cloud & Laseter LLP, will join Turner as the deputy for the new office. Allen has long served the state as counsel in the tri-state water allocation litigation. Turner and Allen will hold appointments as Special Executive Counsels for water and Allen will maintain his appointment from the Attorney General as Special Assistant Attorney General.

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