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King Finishing appeal to be heard
Hearing set for Jan. 23
Ogeechee River file web
In this file photo from July, Ogeechee Riverkeeper Dianna Wedincamp investigates discharge from the King America Finishing plant discharge pipe on the Ogeechee River.
A court hearing regarding an appeal to a consent order against a Screven County textiles plant is slated for Jan. 23, said Ogeechee Riverkeeper Diana Wedincamp.In October, the Environmental Protection Division ordered King America Finishing to spend $1 million to submit plans to fund Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) as a penalty for permit and environmental violations.The EPD launched an investigation after a massive fish kill in May 2011, when around 3,800 fish died due to an outbreak of columnaris, caused by “environmental stress.”Unhappy with the consent order, Wedincamp and others filed an appeal to the order. The appeal halted King America’s plans, which would have had to be announced within 90 days of the order.“Any time an order is appealed, it is suspended until the matter can be resolved,” said EPD spokesman Kevin Chambers. “Because of the appeal of the King America consent order, there is no plan of action at this time.”Wedincamp said Ogeechee Riverkeeper attorneys were instructed by the judge to try and work this out with the attorneys of King America.”In anticipation of the Jan. 26 court date, the Riverkeeper organization has “been in meetings drafting plans for projects to help rehabilitate the Ogeechee,” she said.
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