Monthly Archives: March 2016

Construction of Sabal Trail pipeline is not inevitable –L. Elliott Jones

Especially preventable after Sabal Trail’s river easements went down in flames in a historic vote by the Georgia House last week. -jsq

L. Elliott Jones, Albany Herald, 28 March 2016, L. ELLIOTT JONES: Construction of Sabal Trail pipeline is not inevitable
GUEST COLUMNIST: Efforts are still under way to prevent the construction of the gas pipeline
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Carlton Fletcher’s story, “Dougherty County leaders OK inevitable agreement on pipeline” on March 21, presented only one part of the current story on the Sabal Trail pipeline. There are two schools of thought on the Sabal Trail pipeline: those who believe construction of the pipeline is inevitable, and those who believe the pipeline can and should be prevented, and are working hard to do so. No one, in either group, believes it is needed in Georgia.

Continue reading Construction of Sabal Trail pipeline is not inevitable –L. Elliott Jones

The Empire Strikes Back: Spectra sues FL,GA,AL landowners

Reciting from the standard pipeline playbook, Spectra has started suing landowners. This while doughty rebels defeated 34 aye to 128 nay easements to drill under Georgia rivers, which could put a crimp in the Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail fracked methane boondoggle. Can we the people beat the Mickey Mouse fossil fuel empire?

Paul Brinkmann, Orlando Sentinel, 22 March 2016, Sabal Pipeline project files 160 eminent domain lawsuits,

The pipeline company insists that it already has federal and court authority to seize the property under the Natural Gas Act. Sabal claims its project must be under construction by June 21 and in service, by May 1, 2017.

Sabal Trail pipeline

According to maps provided by the utilities, the Sabal pipeline would come through the Four Corners area of northwestern Osceola County, dip south of Walt Disney World property, cross Interstate 4 near Celebration and connect with a hub of pipelines just west of Reunion Resort Golf Course.

The Greenpointe property is one of the biggest Continue reading The Empire Strikes Back: Spectra sues FL,GA,AL landowners

Huge Win Over Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy in Georgia

300x167 SB sign on WTOC, in SpectraBusters against Palmetto Pipeline, by John S. Quarterman, for SpectraBusters.org, 7 May 2015
SpectraBusters John Quarterman protesting against Palmetto Pipeline which also is being held at bay by Georgia citizens.

As previously reported Georgia Governor Nathan Deal slipped into bill  SR 954 easements for Sabal Trail to begin drilling under the Chattahoochee, Flint, and Ochlockonee rivers as well as the Okapilco and Hanna-hatchee Creeks BEFORE a permit has been issued.  That’s right Sabal Trail and Gov. Deal were trying to begin drilling under these waterways before all permits for this dangerous pipeline was even permitted!

Well Spectra Energy those campaign payments may have made Governor Deal want to do this but the Georgia Legislators said NO!  They said no in a big way with a 128 Nay to 34 Yay vote.

Congratulations to all of the citizens, environmental groups and to the people in Georgia who are working very hard to protect themselves, the land and the Floridan Aquifer from this seriously dangerous pipeline!

Thank you to Georgia Legislators for standing firm for what is just and right.

Please call your GA state rep. today to keep Sabal Trail out

They’re voting today. Here’s who to call to ask to vote No on SR 954. And below is why. If you don’t live in Georgia, you probably know somebody who does: please ask them to call their GA state rep.

More solar jobs than in oil and gas extraction John S. Quarterman, Valdosta Daily Times, today, 22 March 2016, Still possible to keep Sabal Trail out,

After two years going to Sabal Trail open houses and FERC scoping meetings, filing e-comments, guiding them to the river crossings and a legal hearing in Jasper, FERC still tells us customers for Spectra Energy from Houston, Texas, constitute a need that outweighs local property rights, environmental destruction, and hazards to our Withlacoochee and Suwannee rivers and the Floridan Aquifer, and to taxes, life, and limb.

Yet Georgia is the fastest-growing U.S. solar market, while solar Continue reading Please call your GA state rep. today to keep Sabal Trail out

Six rehearing requests to FERC, including from Sabal Trail and Transco

The pipeline companies want rehearings, apparently because they don’t like the restrictions the 20160303-5168-31286889-0001 FERC order put on them, so maybe we’ll actually see a rehearing. The other four rehearing requests all don’t like what FERC certified Sabal Trail to do, and some have new reasons beyond what was in the FEIS or the docket beforehand. Poor FERC! Nobody likes your Order! How about stop permitting new fossil fuel projects and promote renewable sun and wind power instead?

The six requests for rehearings, including one by Transco and one by Sabal Trail, all conveniently grouped by FERC in a subdocket at the end of the results if you search for CP15-17 in FERC’s Docket Search: Continue reading Six rehearing requests to FERC, including from Sabal Trail and Transco

Keep calling to strip Sabal Trail easements from SR 954 in the GA House

Sabal Trail’s allies have failed three times to pass this bill! Please keep calling your state legislators Transportation System Alternatives, Alabama, Georgia, Florida so they will stay strong voting against SR 954 until Sabal Trail and Transco easements are taken out of it. The next vote is scheuduled for Tuesday, March 22nd, so please call them through the weekend.

If you don’t live in Georgia, you probably know somebody who does, so you can ask them to call their Georgia state rep. to stop easements for Sabal Trail to drill under the Chattahoochee, Flint, Ochlockonee, and Withlacoochee Rivers, and Okapilco and Hannahatchee Creeks. Stop it in Georgia, and that will stop it in Florida and Alabama!

Follow this link for all the Georgia statehouse members in the pipeline path. Or type in Continue reading Keep calling to strip Sabal Trail easements from SR 954 in the GA House

Hamilton County takes exception with Sabal Trail

Tonight, Tuesday March 15, 2016, Hamilton County unanimously voted to request that the Army Corps of Engineers perform an independent study on site concerning the ommisions and discrepancies contained in the final environmental study that FERC and Florida DEP used to issue the permit for the Sabal Trail pipeline.

These ommisions in the EIS were discovered by Mr Chris Mericle when comparing a geological study by local geologist Dennis Price with the final EIS Sabal Trail study submitted to FERC on which FERC based the permit for the Sabal Trail pipeline.

Hamilton County was prompted to write this letter after attending the Suwannee BOCC workshop a few weeks ago where members of both boards hiked the Suwannee River crossing and saw for themselves the numerous sinkholes in and around the pipeline route. A route that Sabal Trail claimed the closet sinkhole was 750′ from the pipeline route.

One Hamilton County commissioner asked if Suwannee County was still taking an unheard of neutral stance on this for export fracked gas pipeline.

Thank you to all of the commissioners of Hamilton County for taking action to protect their constituents and our sole source of water – the Floridan Aquifer.

Debra J.

Dougherty County upset over eminent domain threat from Sabal Trail

Dougherty County actually read what Sabal Trail is offering and is horrified.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 14 March 2016, Dougherty County officials upset over Sabal Trail ‘threat’: Pipeline builder makes ‘final offer’ for land before it says it will resort to eminent domain,

Dougherty County commissioners weren’t exactly pleased Continue reading Dougherty County upset over eminent domain threat from Sabal Trail

Albany, GA caves to Sabal Trail 4-3

One vote could have stopped this. One vote could vote out one or more of the four who voted for. Thanks to Roger Marietta for fighting on.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 15 March 2016, Albany city commissioners agree to Sabal Trail easement payment: Pipeline company to pay city $165,000 settlement for five easements,

The Albany City Commission voted 4-3 at a called meeting Tuesday morning to accept a $165,000 payment from Sabal Trail Transmissions for five easements on city-owned property.

Ward IV City Commissioner Roger Marietta suggested Continue reading Albany, GA caves to Sabal Trail 4-3