Environmental groups lose challenge

Federal appeals judges are upholding the Environmental Protection Agency's refusal to take away state pollution permits for two Georgia Power coal-fired generating plants. The Sierra Club and the Coosa River Basin Initiative were suing to stop permits for Plant Bowen in northwest Georgia and Plant Scherer just north of Macon. They argued the plants violate the Clean Air Act. This recent ruling upholds a previous judge's ruling that that environmental groups had not proved the permits fail to enforce the law, even though the EPA issued a violation notice against the plants in 1999.

Report says Georgia power plants - the dirtiest

Some of the dirtiest power plants in the nation are right here in Georgia.

A report by the Environmental Integrity Project ranked Georgia Power's Plant Scherer north of Macon #1 in the country for carbon dioxide emissions. Georgia Power also owns the largest emitter of sulfur dioxide for the second year in a row, Plant Bowen north of Atlanta.

Georgia Power spokesperson Lynn Wallace said the company is on its way to clean up its plants.

"Georgia Power will be investing more than 2 billion dollars over the next three years to install additional environmental controls at its largest coal plants including Plant Bowen and Plant Scherer," said Wallace.

However, she also said there's no known technology in place to reduce CO2 emissions.

The Environmental Protection Agency established a 2010 deadline for power companies to meet air quality standards.