A proposed coal plant in middle Georgia has tightened its air permits per a court order. But environmental groups say the plant still won’t comply with a proposed federal rule scheduled to come out this fall.
More than half the water in Georgia is used to make electricity. From nuclear to hydro-power, just about every river in the state has some kind of power plant on its banks. But as Georgia’s population and energy needs grow, there are concerns about the health of rivers, especially in times of drought.
Environmentalists and health advocates are hailing a stricter federal standard on soot and smog that came down Thursday. It mandates tighter pollution controls for coal plants in and around the state. The cross state air pollution rule is a part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s aim to cut 2005 smog and sulfur dioxide emissions by more than a half come 2014.