All posts by John S. Quarterman

Sabal Trail protested in Albany, GA this morning, again this evening 2015-07-17

July 17, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Georgia, HazardsAlbany, compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Two protests in one day; three in a week: Dougherty County is haunting Spectra! You can join them this evening at 5:30 PM, and you can help from anywhere by commenting to FERC, signing a petition to the Georgia governor, and contacting your elected and appointed officials.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 17 July 2015, Albany pipeline protesters take cause to Sabal Trail office | PHOTO GALLERY: Group gathers for silent protest at local office of pipeline contractor

A group of between 30 and 40 protesters gathered at the Sabal Trail Transmission office on Evelyn Avenue Friday to voice their continued opposition to the $3.5 billion natural gas pipeline that is projected to pass through Dougherty County on the way from central Alabama to central Florida.

The group also is opposed Continue reading Sabal Trail protested in Albany, GA this morning, again this evening 2015-07-17 →

Canadian regulator orders Spectra to clean up its safety practices

July 16, 2015British Columbia, Canada, FERC, Safety, TexasAlberta, British Columbia, Canada, FERC, Houston, John S. Quarterman, management system failures, National Energy Board, NEB, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

Canada’s FERC equivalent had to escalate from specific fines to a blanket clean-up order. Do you still believe Spectra is “a very genuine, safe, law-abiding company”?

Mackenzie Scrimshaw, iPolitics.ca, 15 July 2015, The Drilldown: Spectra Energy faces NEB fines,

Spectra Energy Corp SE.N is feeling the heat from the National Energy Board (NEB). As Reuters reports, the Houston-based company is facing more than $120,000 in fines for committing almost 30 infractions at its Westcoast Energy processing plants in the last 15 months. What’s more, the NEB has requested a correction of these “management system failures.” “The Board expects Westcoast to address safety concerns on a systemic basis, throughout all its gas processing plants and facilities,” reads the NEB’s safety order. “Based on recent violations described below, the Board is not confident safety concerns are being addressed in this manner.”

So that $88,000 fine in January was just the start of this year’s NEB fines to Spectra.

Mike De Souza, Yahoo! Finance, 14 July 2015, Canada regulator orders Spectra Energy to clean up practices, Continue reading Canadian regulator orders Spectra to clean up its safety practices →

Spectra challenging fine for not protecting Western Toad

July 16, 2015British Columbia, EnvironmentBritish Columbia, environment, fine, John S. Quarterman, National Energy Board, NEB, SpectraBusters, Western ToadJohn S. Quarterman

Does this help you believe Spectra’s promises to protect gopher tortoises while invading Georgia with its Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline?

Mike Carter, Alaska Highway News, 17 June 2015, Spectra challenges $28,000 fine for failing to protect Western Toad habitat,

Spectra Energy Transmission faces a $28,000 fine for allegedly failing to protect the habitat of the Western Toad while constructing its Transmission North Expansion project north of Moberly Lake, in the Beryl Prairie area near Butler Ridge Provincial Park.

According to National Energy Board (NEB) spokesperson Darin Barter, the company stands accused of failing to protect the toad’s habitat in accordance with the project’s application documents.

In a June 3 letter to the NEB, Spectra indicated Continue reading Spectra challenging fine for not protecting Western Toad →

Silent Protest to Keep Sabal Trail out of Dougherty County, GA 2015-07-17

July 15, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Georgia, HazardsAlbany, compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Spectra Keep Out, say Dougherty County protesters Friday. (PDF)

Keep Spectra Energy’s
Sabal Trail
OUT
Dougherty County, GA
The Sabal Trail compressor station and pipeline will endanger and devalue our community.
Join us in a silent protest at Sabal’s office
Friday, July 17 from 9:30 a.m.
1301 Evelyn Avenue,
in front of the Dougherty County jail.
This is our community and our county. Bring your Continue reading Silent Protest to Keep Sabal Trail out of Dougherty County, GA 2015-07-17 →

Follow New York State and ban fracking nationwide –Lois Gibbs

July 15, 2015Fracking, New Yorkban, Center for Health, CHEJ, Environment and Justice, Fracking, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Lois Marie Gibbs, Love Canal, New York, Palmetto Pipeline, pipeline, pollution, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

The woman who stood up for Love Canal residents and caused the federal government to create Superfunds now calls for a nationwide fracking ban. And with no fracking, there will be no new pipelines!

Buffalo News, 13 July 2015, Another Voice: Federal fracking ban should follow New York’s lead,

By Lois Marie Gibbs

On June 29, New York took the final step in the process to ban fracking, following the announcement of the ban last December based on significant public health risks. In many ways, the ban stems from the large movement of activists and scientists who raised their voices and showed clearly that fracking has unacceptable dangers. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo deserves tremendous praise for standing up to the oil and gas industry and protecting the public health and safety of all New Yorkers.

Unfortunately, the federal government’s plans for fracking contrast poorly Continue reading Follow New York State and ban fracking nationwide –Lois Gibbs →

Fracking and pipeline bans start at the local level

July 15, 2015Fracking, Georgia, Jefferson County, LNG, New York, Pennsylvaniaban, Fracking, Georgia, Jefferson County, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, LNG, New York, ordinance, Palmetto Pipeline, Pennsylvania, pipeline, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Local ordinances lead to state laws banning fracking and pipelines. And don’t forget Sabal Trail has to get permits from the Georgia Department of Transportation for road crossings and an air quality permit from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for the Albany compressor station, or no pipeline. There is plenty local, state, and federal elected officials can do to stop this invading fracked methane destruction and hazard. Rev. Ezekiel Holly called on local officials to act. Here are some ways how.

How about a county ordinance rooted in the Comprehensive Plan? A local ordinance was used by Jefferson County, Florida to keep Nestle out of the same Floridan Aquifer. Local ordinances have been used in Pennsylvania to stop pipelines, and upheld by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Local ordinances were used across New York State to ban fracking, and upheld by the state Court of Appeals, until the state government finally took up the cause and banned fracking statewide.

Now New York state residents are saying Continue reading Fracking and pipeline bans start at the local level →

Terrell County minister picketing Sabal Trail in Dougherty County

July 15, 2015Dougherty County, GeorgiaDawson, Dougherty County, Ezekiel Holly, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, NAACP, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Terrell County, Zion Hope Missionary Baptist ChurchJohn S. Quarterman

Locals are concerned about the health of mankind, of everybody, and call on our elected and appointed officials to stop the Sabal Trail fracked methane invasion.

I haven’t heard too much from the elected officials in Terrell County as concerned. As a matter of fact, I haven’t heard from our state representative. Even our Senator who represents this area, on the health of the citizens that live in this area.
I understand that the generator station Continue reading Terrell County minister picketing Sabal Trail in Dougherty County →

Spectra’s Canadian negligence and Fort Nelson leak and flare

July 15, 2015British Columbia, LeakAitken Creek, British Columbia, Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson, John S. Quarterman, leak, National Energy Board, NEB, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

If Spectra was so negligent the Canadian FERC equivalent had to threaten to shut down a natural gas plant to get cooperation about leaks and flares caused by negligence, and still fined Spectra, why should we believe Spectra’s claims of silence or safety for its invading Albany, Georgia Sabal Trail compressor station?

Canada’s National Energy Board fined Spectra Energy Transmission $88,000 on 22 January 2015 for numerous incidents of negligence, failing to comply with national and internal safety procedures, and

The company failed to take reasonable care to ensure safety hazards had been properly identified.

Get this:

However, despite previous findings of similar non-compliances at other facilities (Aitken Creek Gas Plant and Fort Nelson North Processing Facility), the company failed to take preventative action in advance of the NEB inspection at the Dawson Creek location.

Spectra didn’t even bother to clean up its act when it knew inspectors were coming.

Speaking of Fort Nelson, Continue reading Spectra’s Canadian negligence and Fort Nelson leak and flare →

Natural gas pipeline carried oil which leaked: owned by a Spectra company

July 14, 2015FERC, Leak, TexasBritish Columbia, corrosion, DCP Midstream, Duke Energy, Ector County, FERC, Greg Ebel, Gregory L. Ebel, John S. Quarterman, leak, National Energy Board, NEB, oil, SpectraBusters, Texas, West OdessaJohn S. Quarterman

You don’t know when a natural gas pipeline might be carrying oil. You do know pipelines corrode and leak, and this one did. It’s owned by DCP Midstream, but guess who is a director there and which company owns half of it!

Odessa American, 14 April 2015, Crews begin oil spill cleanup in West Odessa,

Crews with DCP Midstream and the Ector County Environmental Office are assessing an oil spill that took place Tuesday afternoon in West Odessa.

Environmental office officials said they were called to Moss Avenue and West Third Street about oil coming from the ground.

The low-pressure pipeline, according to Scott McMeans, supervisor at DCP Midstream, was a natural gas line that leaked due to corrosion causing oil to flow out.

McMeans said that sometimes Continue reading Natural gas pipeline carried oil which leaked: owned by a Spectra company →

Sierra Club FERC comment submission form for Sabal Trail Albany Compressor

July 14, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, LNG, Safety, WaterAlbany, compressor, Dougherty County, environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Jerry Funderburk, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Roger Marietta, Safety, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

A FERC comment submission form appears along with a letter by Roger Marietta, Albany City Councilman, in the Georgia Sierra Club newsletter based on the recent Albany Herald silent protest story about Spectra Energy of Houston Texas’ invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline and its Albany compressor station. Excerpt:

It is clear that the Sabal Trail Pipeline will destroy our local environment, and is hazardous to private property, health, and the local economy. The evidence has shown that this massive pipeline is not needed; Continue reading Sierra Club FERC comment submission form for Sabal Trail Albany Compressor →