A judge has faulted the permitting of a proposed coal-fired power plant in rural Georgia over its use of water.

Administrative Law Judge Ronit Walker ruled in a decision announced Monday that Georgia's Department of Environmental Protection improperly gave two water permits to the developers of Plant Washington, which would be built in Sandersville.

The judge said environmental regulators did not follow proper rules when it gave Power4Georgians LLC permission to withdraw water from the Oconee River. Walker also said the power plant should monitor the quality of its wastewater at the point where that water is discharged back into the river, not just from within the power plant facility.

An EPD spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Tags: coal plant, Power4Georgians, Sandersville, Georgia EPD, coal fired power plant