Tennessee legislature rejects border commission

Both chambers of the Tennessee legislature have now rejected Georgia’s border commission to redraw the state line.

The Tennessee Senate agreed by unanimous vote yesterday to a House resolution not to participate in the commission. Both chambers of the Georgia legislature passed a resolution in February to create a commission in order to rectify a mistake in a 19^th century survey that placed Georgia’s northern border just short of the Tennessee River.

Tennessee officials see the proposal as a land grab designed to supply water to Atlanta.

GA senator accepts TN water as 'down payment'

Audio:

Georgia Senator David Shafer (R-Duluth) addresses state Senators, after accepting symbolic shipment of bottled water from Chattanooga (TN) Mayor Ron Littlefield.

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TN lawmakers balk at GA border change

Tennessee lawmakers say they sympathize with Georgia's water shortages but they will oppose an effort by our lawmakers to take water from the Tennessee River. A proposal in the Georgia Legislature seeks to shift the Georgia border so that it includes part of the river. The plan argues that a flawed survey in 1818 mistakenly marked Georgia's border one mile south of the Tennessee River. Changes to state borders have to be approved by legislatures in each state, then Congress.

GA bids for TN water

Two Georgia legislators want Tennessee to share water from its river with Atlanta. Republican Senator David Shafer of Duluth and Republican Representative Harry Geisinger of Roswell say they will introduce legislation Wednesday that would in effect move Georgia's northwest boundary a mile north. That would mean a section of the Tennessee River would flow into Georgia. The two cite what they call an old survey that placed the marker below Tennessee's Nickajack Reservoir when it should have been situated in the middle of the river.