King America Finishing may now legally discharge wastewater into the Ogeechee River after the Georgia Environmental Protection Division issued a permit Friday.The permit was issued despite public demand that the permit not be allowed, Ogeechee Riverkeeper Dianna Wedincamp said.“We are disappointed,” she said. “Thousands of Georgians spoke out against the pollution from King America Finishing and begged the state to protect the Ogeechee River. Unfortunately, it appears that, once again, the state has sided with the polluters instead of protecting us from pollution.”King America attorney Lee Dehihnes was not immediately available for comment Friday.The plant has been discharging without a legal permit since 2007, and in 2011, when a colossal fish kill occurred, Wedincamp and others blamed King America's discharges for the kill.During an investigation following the kill, in which about 38,000 fish floated the banks along 70 miles of the river south of the plant, EPD officials found several violations in the plant and issued a $1 million consent order for the plant to fund river improvement projects.