At issue is whether the state set the emissions limits in the permit according to the law for such pollutants as metals and organic hazardous air pollutants, dioxins and furans, and coarse particulate matter (PM10). Power4Georgians, a consortium of five Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) led by Cobb EMC, seeks to build Plant Washington; the developer is Dean Alford, Allied Energy Services.

Map from Southern Environmental Law Center that estimates the area that will receive the majority of the mercury fall out from air pollution. Plant Washington, if built, would be allowed to emit up to 66 lbs of mercury every year. That's over 2 times the "safe" level for mercury deposition to the Ogeechee River from the US EPA.

Slideshow from the press briefing on the permit appeal of Plant Washington proposed air pollution permits.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) held a public hearing on October 10. 2009 on the draft permit for Plant Washington. Several specific questions on the Plant Washington permit application were asked and this is EPD's responses to those questions.

Plant Washington coal power plant proposed near Sandersville by several electric-membership cooperatives could cause ratepayers' electric bills to increase anywhere between $165 to $240 annually. "If the proposed plant is built, rate increases will no longer be modest," says the report, which was conducted by TR Rose Associates and released by Georgia Watch. "The plant will also cause long-term financial headaches for the electric membership cooperative (EMC's) and others who sign on to purchase power from Plant Washington."

Power4Georgians is a consortium of ten of Georgia’s Electric Membership Corporations (“EMCs”) that is proposing to build and operate Plant Washington, an 850 megawatt (“MW”) supercritical pulverized coal plant, in Washington County, Georgia. Synapse Energy Economics was asked to assess the risks associated with Power4Georgians’ proposed Plant Washington and to evaluate, in particular, construction costs, costs of CO2 regulations, and alternatives to the proposed plant.