The Environmental Protection division is holding a public hearing on water use by a proposed coal plant in Washington County Tuesday.

At issue is the water permit for the plant proposed by Power4 Georgians. It would pump water from the Oconee river, to be used in the Ogeechee river basin.

Any unused water, about 11 percent, would be returned to the Oconee.

EPD had issued the permit but a judge ruled the water use an inter basin transfer. And therefore it requires the now scheduled public hearing in Sandersville.

Erin Glynn with the Georgia Sierra Club opposes the plant.
“We’re very worried about this water permit, because it’s yet another example of moving water form one basin to another to meet the needs of Metro Atlanta,” she says.

One investor in the coal plant is Cobb EMC of Marietta.

Inter basin transfers have long been a sore subject as Georgia tries to balance growth and water needs.

Power4Georgians says the hearing is purely a procedural matter and has no impact on the plant's viability.

Tags: Atlanta, Marietta, Georgia Sierra Club, Plant Washington, Power4Georgians, Sandersville, CobbEMC, Erin Glynn