All posts by John S. Quarterman

Sabal Trail admits environmental destruction to Valdosta newspaper

July 27, 2014Environment, Ethics, FE, Florida, Georgia, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, TreesAndrea Grover, environment, Ethics, FE, Florida, FPL, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, LNG export, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Trees, Valdost, Valdosta Daily Times, VDTJohn S. Quarterman

Spectra’s Andrea Grover admitted trees don’t grow back fast, a “need to draw that line in the sand” and “we’re now moving forward”. This is the kind of “working with the landowners and the communities” that the Valdosta Daily Times found when it went to the local Sabal Trail office. STT plans to file with FERC at the end of October. But Spectra’s Andrea Grover admitted they need complete survey data, and Sabal Trail admitted they have no Georgia customers, which means they have no Georgia eminent domain, so every landowner who refuses is indeed putting a crimp into Spectra’s fracked methane pipeline.

Matthew Woody wrote for the VDT 27 July 2014, Sabal Trail explains its position, Continue reading Sabal Trail admits environmental destruction to Valdosta newspaper →

Greenlaw air quality objections in Gainesville, FL newspaper

July 27, 2014Compressor, Florida, Politicsair quality, Andrea Grover, compressor, Florida, GA EPD, Greenlaw, John S. Quarterman, Politics, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Stephanie Stuckey BenfieldJohn S. Quarterman

Newspaper in a Florida city twice the size of Albany, GA links Greenlaw’s Albany compressor station objections to a compressor station in Dunnellon, FL, plus Sabal Trail’s response and Greenlaw’s response to that.

Bill Thompson wrote for Daily Commercial 24 July 2014, Air-quality questions raised about Sabal Trail gas pipeline,

A compression station also is planned near Dunnellon as part of the interstate Florida line. Three other stations are planned in Florida, but none in Lake or Sumter counties.

Yes, but there’s one aimed at Suwannee County, FL, for example. Continue reading Greenlaw air quality objections in Gainesville, FL newspaper →

FL State Rep. Linda Stewart joins Sabal Trail opposition

July 27, 2014Environment, Florida, Leak, Politics, SolarLinda Stewart, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra EnergyJohn S. Quarterman

Amy Green wrote for wmfe.org, 90.7 news Orlando, 25 July 2014, New Opposition to Sabal Trail pipeline,

State Rep. Linda Stewart is joining environmentalists in opposition of the Sabal Trail pipeline. The 474-mile natural gas pipeline would span Alabama, Georgia and Florida, including Central Florida. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2016.
Stewart, a Democrat, says Florida should focus instead on solar energy.
“Anything can happen, any kind of leak, any kind of interference with the distribution of it could cause some very negative effects no matter where this may occur.”

Williams Co’s WEP pipeline anchor customer is Oregon LNG for export

July 26, 2014Economy, Fracking, LNG, OregonColumbia Riverkeeper, Coos Bay, Dan Seres, Economy, Forrest English, Fracking, John S. Quarterman, Jordan Cove, LNG, Oregon, Oregon LNG, Plymouth LNG, Rogue Riverkeeper, SpectraBusters, Washington Expanstion Project, WEP, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Jordan Cove and Oregon LNG, plus Plymouth LNG that blew up in March: Spectra and Williams are running 36-inch pipelines through the Pacific Northwest to LNG export terminals. Is it coincidence that their 36-inch Transco and Sabal Trail pipelines through the southeast go right to LNG export operations? Columbia and Rogue Riverkeepers remind us states have water and air permitting authority for pipelines, and don’t forget local governments have zoning authority, plus landowners can hold out for much better offers.

From Spectra’s Westcoast Pipeline through the fields of the countersuing Chilliwack, BC farmers, and Williams’ Washington Expanstion Project down I-5 past Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia, turn right at Woodland, Oregon, because: Continue reading Williams Co’s WEP pipeline anchor customer is Oregon LNG for export →

Where does Spectra’s Westcoast Energy pipeline go at the U.S. border?

July 25, 2014British Columbia, Canada, FERC, WashingtonJohn S. Quarterman

Spectra’s pipeline upgrade British Columbia farmers are countersuing: what happens where it ends at Sumas, Washington? Hint: who does Spectra Energy’s Sabal Trail Pipeline connect to? And if that connecting pipeline in Washington State can go down I-5, why can’t Sabal Trail go down I-75?

Williams Company’s Washington Expansion Project (WEP) starts right there in Sumas, WA, planning a 36-inch pipeline 140 miles down the I-5 corridor right past Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia, crosses the Columbia River, and looks like it’s headed for Portland or parts much much farther away. Continue reading Where does Spectra’s Westcoast Energy pipeline go at the U.S. border? →

Gone national and press conference this morning: FL Gov. Rick Scott pipeline share ownership

July 25, 2014Economy, Environment, EPA, Ethics, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Orange CountyBeth Gordon, Carlos Smith, corruption, environment, Ethics, Florida, Florida Democratic Party, Linda Stewart, Orange County DEC, Rachel Maddow, Rick Scott, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, stockJohn S. Quarterman

Gone viral and now a big issue in the Florida governor’s race: Broward Bulldog, Tampa Bay Times, Time.com, Florida Democratic Party, WFTV, YouTube, Rachel Maddow’s producer, and Climate Progress, all from the Miami Herald story revealing FL Gov. Rick Scott owned shares in Spectra Energy before his appointees approved its Sabal Trail pipeline. Maybe you’d like to mention this corruption scandal at the Climate Rally and EPA hearings in Atlanta Tuesday next week. And there’s a press conference 11AM this morning at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida.

Tampa Bay Times picked up 21 July 2014 in The FPL-Rick Scott investment connection what Dan Christensen wrote for the Broward Bulldog 21 July 2014, Rick Scott privately profited in FPL pipeline deal approved by governor’s appointees,

Before the story, here’s the governor’s whole statement: Continue reading Gone national and press conference this morning: FL Gov. Rick Scott pipeline share ownership →

Princeton asks FERC to reject, Congressmen and Senators ask for safety review

July 25, 2014Environment, Explosion, FERC, Hazards, New Jersey, SafetyCory Booker, environment, explosion, FERC, Frank Pallone, Government, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Leidy Expansion, New Jersey, Politics, Princeton, Robert Menendez signed, Rush Holt, Safety, SpectraBusters, Transco, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

Last week, Princeton, New Jersey, resolved to ask FERC to reject Williams Transco’s current plan for a 42-inch pipeline. This week, U.S. Congress and Senate members from New Jersey asked FERC to “review all safety issues”. This is all partly because a Transco contractor was involved in an explosion in March. Spectra was the “probable cause” of the 1994 Durham Woods, NJ pipeline explosion and fire, according to NTSB. Seems like time for some town around here to ask FERC to reject the Sabal Trail pipeline, and for Congressmen and Senators to join in.

2014-06-04: Contractor being sued for Ewing explosion to build Transco pipeline in Princeton, Montgomery, By Nicole Mulvaney/The Times of Trenton, Continue reading Princeton asks FERC to reject, Congressmen and Senators ask for safety review →

Climate Rally and EPA hearings Tuesday and Wednesday in Atlanta

July 24, 2014Environment, EPA, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, LawAtlanta, Atlanta Climate Rally, Clean Power Plan, Climate, conservation, EPA, FPL, Georgia Power, Law, north Florida, Quality, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, Seth Gunning, Sierra Club, south Georgia, Southern Company, watershed, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

EPA is holding public hearings on its proposed Clean Power Plan next week, 29-30 July 2014, in Atlanta. Maybe you want to mention shifting from coal to “natural” gas (fracked methane) actually may make matters worse here, with proposed pipelines like the hazardous 36-inch monsters Sabal Trail through south Georgia and Renaissance through north Georgia, on environmentally damaging hundred-foot rights of way through our fields, forests, wetlands, and under our rivers. so EPA needs to go further. You can also comment online until 16 October 2014 on Docket ID EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602. And you can express your opinion outside with Georgia Sierra Club at the Atlanta Climate Rally Tuesday at high noon. And remember, mercury in the Alapaha River probably comes from coal Plant Scherer, near Macon, Georgia.

While that proposed carbon rule may help clean up coal plants like Scherer, it says nothing about methane, which EPA says is Continue reading Climate Rally and EPA hearings Tuesday and Wednesday in Atlanta →

Inadequate insurance and safety plus eminent domain and environmental destruction by Sabal Trail –OSFR

July 22, 2014Alabama, Climate Change, Economy, Environment, Ethics, Explosion, FERC, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Hazards, History, Law, Leak, LNG, Noise, PHMSA, Safety, Suwannee County, WaterAlabama, Andrea Grover, eminent domain, environment, Ethics, explosion, export, FERC, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Hazards, insurance, leak, LNG, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, OSFR, Our Santa Fe River, PHMSA, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, Suwannee County, transparency, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson of Our Santa Fe River sent this letter yesterday to the same newspapers Sabal Trail has been in recently. -jsq

Sabal Trail’s spokesperson distributing large quantities of disinformation

“Safety, public input, federal monitoring, jobs, tax revenue, exceed federal safety requirements, reliability, affordable, clean, thorough review, latest proven technologies:” these are all good little meta tags and nice sounding words and phrases used by Andrea Grover, public relations employee for Sabal Trail, in her recent editorial about that company’s proposed natural gas pipeline which was carried by newspapers in the southeastern United States.

But let us point out a few facts that this editorial fails to mention. There were plenty of public input meetings (we attended seven of these, and we read the minutes from others) and the input was overwhelmingly negative. Issues of concern include Continue reading Inadequate insurance and safety plus eminent domain and environmental destruction by Sabal Trail –OSFR →

Come and Take It: Make the pipeline company have to use eminent domain

July 22, 2014Constitution Pipeline, Economy, Environment, EPA, Ethics, FERC, Georgia, History, Law, Lee County, Liberty CountyBattle of Gonzales, British, Come and Take It, FERC, Fort Morris, Georgia, History, invasion, Johm McIntosh, Law, Lee County, Leonidas, Liberty County, Mexicans, Persians, Sparta, SpectraBusters, ThermopylaeJohn S. Quarterman

Call the pipeline company’s bluff, says one landowner, and and at worst you’ll get a much better offer. At best, if enough people do it, the pipeline will become too expensive and won’t get built. Like the Texians at Gonzales, the Georgians at Fort Morris, and the Spartans at Thermopylae, we can stop an invasion, this time by peaceful means. Come and Take It!

Chip Northrup wrote for No Fracking Way 8 July 2013, COME AND TAKE IT — Why Forcing a Condemnation Is The Best Option,

Here is my laypersons view:
IF I SIGN:
1) I give away my right to sue.
2) I enter into a business deal with unknown future liabilities.
3) I have continuing extra insurance expense.

BY TELLING THEM to TAKE MY LAND: Continue reading Come and Take It: Make the pipeline company have to use eminent domain →