TOCCOA- An administrative law judge has upheld the Georgia Environmental Protection Division's administrative order revoking permits issued to the Wilbros facility.<br />
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Administrative Law Judge Ronit Walker issued that ruling Wednesday.<br />
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The EPD originally issued an administrative order last January calling on Wilbros to stop receiving waste and begin closure proceedings.<br />
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In the order, the EPD accused the Rose Lane facility of violating the state's Solid Waste Management and Water Quality Acts and associated permits multiple times.<br />
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Wilbros, which has been at the center of an odor controversy for years in Stephens County, disputed the EPD's allegations in the order and calls that order to close unlawful.<br />
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In the ruling, Judge Walker said that the EPD did prove that Wilbros had, in some instances, violated its Solid Waste Handling Permit and its discharge permit.<br />
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Judge Walker said that while the EPD has only proven a minority of the initial alleged violations against Wilbros, the nature of those violations proved significant.<br />
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The judge said that Wilbros repeatedly, and without authorization, disregarded the mandates of both its Design Development Report and Design and Operational Plan, both of which were tied to the permits issued by the EPD.<br />
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Stephens County Attorney Brian Ranck called the judge's decision to affirm the EPD's revocation of the Wilbros permits a major step forward in the process in abating the noxious odors from Wilbros.<br />
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Ranck also said the county appreciates the efforts of the law firm of Stack and Associates for helping to bring about this decision.<br />
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Wilbros can appeal the judge's decision in Superior Court, either in Fulton or Stephens counties.<br />
