Aug. 25--The Georgia Environmental Protection Division issued draft permits today for Plant Washington, a proposed $2 billion coal-fired power plant to be built on a 1,200-acre site north of Sandersville.

The coalition of six electric cooperatives behind the plant, called Power4Georgians, first applied for environmental permits in January 2008. The permits, required before the plant can begin operation, outline the amount of air and water pollution that will be allowed from the plant; put limits on the amount of water it can withdraw from the ground and the Oconee River; and describe how the plant will deal with its solid wastes such as coal ash.

A public meeting to answer questions and hear comments about the permits is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Ridge Road Elementary School Cafeteria in Sandersville. An official public hearing will follow on Oct. 20 at the same time and place.

Dean Alford, whose company Allied Energy Services is developing the power plant, said the permits did not change significantly from Power4Georgians' original proposal. But there were some changes, including slightly reducing the number of ground-water wells the plant would use, and moving the location where water would be taken from the Oconee River, he said.

"We're very pleased with the work our engineers did and the work the state did," Alford said.

For more on this story, read tomorrow's Telegraph.

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