Monthly Archives: March 2014

Methane pipeline safety record questioned –Lauren Ritchie

March 19, 2014Corrosion, Explosion, FERC, Florida, Leak, Maine, Martin County, New York, Osceola County, Safety, WaterAndrea Grover, Bangor, Bay Lake, corrosion, explosion, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, Floridan Aquifer, Green Swamp, John S. Quarterman, Lake County, Lauren Ritchie, leak, Maine, Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, Martin County, negligence, New York, Osceola County, PF14-1, PF14-2, Polk County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

A reporter for a major newspaper is calling Spectra on its safety record, and calling Spectra’s responses “not good enough”! After thirty years of Spectra safety promises, that’s putting it mildly. A Maine resident put it this way after the Spectra’s Searsmont compressor blowout: “we were clearly lied to”.

Lauren Ritchie wrote for the Orlando Sentinel today, Safety record of natural-gas pipeline partner raises concerns,

Spectra Energy Corp. along with FPL’s parent, NextEra Energy, would bury the 473-mile Sabal Trail pipeline expected to carry 1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to just south of Orlando in Osceola County, where it would connect to another line for eventual delivery to FPL in Martin County.

Spectra’s safety record, however, leaves something to be desired.

Take, for example, the company’s Texas Eastern pipeline, a 9,200-mile Spectra project connecting Texas with the markets in the Northeast.

Between 2006 and 2013, the company had 21 “incidents” along the line, causing Continue reading Methane pipeline safety record questioned –Lauren Ritchie →

Thirty years after Spectra’s Beaumont, KY explosion little has changed

March 19, 2014Adair County, Explosion, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hazards, KentuckyAdair County, blast, Columbia Gulf Transmission, corrosion, crater, damage, destruction, explosion, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Kentucky, killed, leak, National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Texas Eastern Gas Pipeline CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Spectra is related to this from 13 February 2014 MASSIVE BLAST in KY-60 foot crater-3 houses two barns destroyed, 30 foot section of 30″ pipe thrown 300 feet. It was partly about Spectra Energy’s Texas Eastern pipeline, almost 30 years and about 30 miles from a very similar Texas Eastern explosion in 1985.

Mark Boxley, wrote for The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal 13 February 2014, Ky. gas line explosion injures 2; homes evacuated,

Two homes were destroyed, 20 residences were evacuated and two people received non-life threatening injuries early Thursday in Adair County after a natural gas transportation line exploded, leaving a 60-foot crater near Highway 76 in Knifley.

The first call came in at about 2:04 a.m. EST when residents heard and felt rumbling under their feet, said Adair County Emergency Management Agency director Greg Thomas. Then came the explosion and a ball of fire, he said.
Continue reading Thirty years after Spectra’s Beaumont, KY explosion little has changed →

Fight the Fracking Pipeline in Florida

March 16, 2014Florida, Okeechobee County, Osceola County, Suwannee CountyFERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, Okeechobee County, Osceola County, PF14-1, PF14-2, Polk County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Suwannee CountyJohn S. Quarterman

PDF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Valdosta, 16 March 2014 — Florida forms the field for the pipeline fight this week, at a Suwannee County Commissioners meeting and three FERC Scoping Meetings. Plus later a SpectraBusters panel on the issues.

FERC Scoping Meetings*:
This week’s calendar:
SpectraBusters Panel:
In Conjunction with:

FERC Scoping Meetings*:

Continue reading →

Ted Yoho (FL-03) Town Hall in Ocala, FL tomorrow 17 March 2014

March 16, 2014Florida, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Levy County, Madison County, Marion County, Suwannee CountyAlachua County, Columbia County, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, Levy County, Madison County, Marion County, methane, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Ted YohoJohn S. Quarterman

The Congress member for all of the north Florida path of the proposed Sabal Trail methane pipeline invites you to a Town Hall in Ocala Monday.

On Ted Yoho’s facebook page, this event:

Ocala Town Hall
Hosted by Congressman Ted Yoho
6:30-7:30pm Monday 17 March 2014
3733 SW 80th Avenue, Ocala, FL

Come join me for a Town Hall meeting on Monday, March 17th at Westport High School. I’ll be there to give an update on what is happening in Washington as well as answer any questions or concerns. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

Florida’s Third Congressional District includes part or all of all of the north Florida counties on the pipeline path: Madison County, Hamilton County, Columbia County, Suwannee County, Gilchrist County, Alachua County, Levy County, and Marion County.

Continue reading →

Water supply more important than methane pipeline –Lauren Ritchie

March 16, 2014Explosion, FERC, Florida, Lake County, Leak, Martin County, Osceola County, Safety, WaterBay Lake, explosion, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, Floridan Aquifer, Green Swamp, John S. Quarterman, Lake County, Lauren Ritchie, leak, Martin County, Osceola County, PF14-1, PF14-2, Polk County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

“But this isn’t an issue just for tree-huggers. It’s one that every person who uses water ought to latch on to,” she wrote.

I added the links and the images below to what Lauren Ritchie wrote in the Orlando Sentinel yesterday, Move path for natural-gas pipeline to protect water supply,

Only a relatively small piece of a proposed natural-gas pipeline that is to cross three states would come through a corner of south Lake County, but the route is directly through one of the most environmentally sensitive areas in Florida.

And, unfortunately, the pipeline is to be built by a company whose safety record is hardly sterling and whose tendency is to stare silently when asked questions about accidents.

I’d recognize the pipeline company from that description. Continue reading Water supply more important than methane pipeline –Lauren Ritchie →

Delays from the protracted permitting process have caused the project to become uneconomical –Tennessee Gas Pipeline 2008

March 15, 2014Massachusettsdelays, Essex-Middlesex Project, John S. Quarterman, Massachusetts, permitting, SpectraBusters, Tennessee Gas PipelineJohn S. Quarterman

Wouldn’t it be sad if Spectra, Williams, and FPL had to announce this?

Katy wrote for NoFrackedGasinMass.org 13 March 2014, ONCE UPON A TIME, TGP WANTED TO PUT A PIPELINE THROUGH WAKEFIELD, SAUGUS AND LYNNFIELD …,

“Tennessee Gas Pipeline regrets to inform you that its Essex-Middlesex Project is being terminated. Delays from the protracted permitting process have caused the project to become uneconomical to the extent that Tennessee and the project’s customer, DistriGas of Massachusetts, have agreed to discontinue the project.”

-jsq

Disappointing Alabama FERC Scoping Meetings –Bob Hastings

March 15, 2014Alabama, Choctaw County, FERC, Russell County, Tallapoosa CountyAlabama, Alexander City, Bill Braun, Bob Hastings, Butler, Choctaw County, FERC, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Kara Harris, Russell County, Seale, Sierra Club, SpectraBusters, Tallapoosa County, Transco, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

Bob Hastings of the Alabama Sierra Club reports from the Alabama FERC Scoping Meetings. -jsq

I attended both the Alexander City and Butler hearings, and was disappointed in both. There was apparently a lot of apathy and/or intimidation among people affected.

There were about 50-75 people at Alex City but only about 7 people spoke. I read the Alabama-Georgia-Florida Sierra Club statement, and got a few compliments after the meeting.

At Butler, there were only 7 people present (plus about 15 “company” employees who answered questions, but there were not many questions). Because of the small group, we sat in a circle with the FERC reps and listened to their statements and asked a few questions. No landowners made statements and I agreed to submit mine online. It was a long drive for not much information.

I was also told that about 25 people attended the Seale hearing but no one submitted comments (according to Bill Braun, a “first zero” for FERC hearings).

Bill Braun was the FERC representative (a contract environmental consultant) from Minnesota who described the projects at all three hearings in Alabama, along with Kara Harris.

FERC should be promoting solar and wind, not new pipelines –Alabama Sierra Club

March 15, 2014Alabama, Economy, Environment, Explosion, FERC, Florida, Fracking, Law, SafetyAlabama, Economy, environment, explosion, FPL, Fracking, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, NextEra, PF14-6, property rights, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Sierra Club, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Transco, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

Filed with FERC 14 March 2104 by Bob Hastings for Alabama Sierra Club about PF14-6. -jsq

Comments on the proposed Transco Pipeline Hillabee Expansion Project:

The Sierra Club is a national environmental organization promoting the protection of our natural environment and quality of life for all citizens. The Club has more than 1.5 million members and includes chapters in all states. The Alabama Chapter has approximately 3000 members.

The Alabama Chapter of the Sierra Club has joined with the Georgia and Florida Sierra Club Chapters to oppose the proposed 650 mile Sabal Trail Pipeline that would carry natural gas extracted through hydraulic fracturing from Pennsylvania and Texas through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Since the purpose of the Hillabee Expansion project is to supply gas to the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline, we also oppose the Hillabee Expansion project, and consider it undesirable and not needed.

Williams Partners, Inc., owners of the Transco pipeline, has a poor record of pipeline safety, and has had at least 35 reportable accidents since 2006, including the pipeline rupture and explosion on December 3, 2011, near Linden in Marengo County, Alabama. Fortunately this explosion, which devastated 65 acres of forest land, did not occur in a populated area where loss of life could have been tragic. Williams Partners should focus on upgrading the existing pipeline for improved safety rather than expanding its capacity.

The existing Transco pipeline cuts through Continue reading FERC should be promoting solar and wind, not new pipelines –Alabama Sierra Club →

Woman identified in last week’s Ewing, NJ gas explosion that destroyed dozens of homes

March 14, 2014Explosion, New Jersey, New York, Safetyexplosion, fatality, John S. Quarterman, negligence, New Jersey, New York, property damage, Safety, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

This week, Harlem, last week, Ewing, NJ, 20 years ago, Edison, NJ: methane explosions that destroyed buildings and killed at least one person, according to investigors or local officials apparently caused by gas company. This is one downside to the fracked “natural” gas industry’s answer to cold weather in the U.S. northeast.

WPVI-TV wrote 6 March 2014, Woman killed in Ewing Twp. explosion identified as Linda Cerritelli,

It all began around 11:45 a.m. when utility company PSE&G got a call from contractor Henkels and McCoy that a worker had damaged a gas line while working on an electrical problem.

Crews were working on it about an hour later when—for reasons that are still not known—the gas line ignited.

At a news conference Wednesday, Mayor Bert Steinmann said the gas line was marked out in the area where a contractor was working. Officials don’t know what went wrong.

PSE&G issued a statement saying it would not comment further until the investigation was complete.

Documents show Henkels and McCoy had been fined more than $100,000 by federal safety monitors for problems at two other New Jersey work sites. Continue reading Woman identified in last week’s Ewing, NJ gas explosion that destroyed dozens of homes →

Resolution: Sabal Trail Natural Gas Pipeline –Colquitt County Board of Commissioners

March 13, 2014Agriculture, Colquitt County, Georgia, Law, SafetyAgriculture, Colquitt County, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

This is the text of the resolution passed by the Colquitt County Board of Commissioners, and here it is in PDF. -jsq

Resolution Number 2014-R-6.

RESOLUTION
COLQUITT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SABAL TRAIL NATURAL GAS PIPELINE

WHEREAS, Sabal Trail Natural Gas Pipeline proposes to construct a natural gas transmission pipeline that will bisect a large portion of Colquitt County, Georgia; and,

WHEREAS, Colquitt County, Georgia is the largest agricultural production county in the State of Georgia with numerous farms and agricultural infrastructure throughout the county and in the proposed path of the Sabal Trail Natural Gas Pipeline; and,

WHEREAS, there remains many concerns among area agricultural growers regarding the depth of the pipeline in agricultural areas.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Continue reading Resolution: Sabal Trail Natural Gas Pipeline –Colquitt County Board of Commissioners →