Category Archives: Alabama

A flood of motions to intervene filed: still two days to go to Sabal Trail deadline

December 22, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, LawAlabama, Dougherty County, Duke Energy, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, FSC, Georgia, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, motion to intervene, Sabal Trail Transmission, Southern Company, Southern Natural Gas Company, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Transco, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

The trickle turns to a flood of motions to intervene being filed for the FERC dockets of Sabal Trail, Transco’s Hillabee Expansion Project, and Florida Southeast Connection. Two elected county governments have filed, one of them in all three dockets. Other counties and cities and even states can dod the same.

Be sure to file in all three dockets: CP15-17, CP15-16, and CP14-554. It’s not enough to list them in your filing documents or description: you must file them on each docket. If you don’t find your filing in FERC’s docket search for each of the three dockets, you need to go back and file again in the other dockets. Here’s how to file for multiple dockets in a single Continue reading A flood of motions to intervene filed: still two days to go to Sabal Trail deadline →

Gulf Restoration Network moves to intervene on Sabal Trail et al.

December 21, 2014Alabama, FERC, Florida, Law, WaterAlabama, FERC, Florida, GRN, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Restoration Network, John S. Quarterman, Law, SpectraBusters, Water, wetlandsJohn S. Quarterman

An environmental organization protecting the Gulf of Mexico and the wetlands and the streams and rivers flowing into it has filed a motion to intervene with all three parts of the fracked methane pipeline project including Sabal Trail, using a form of filing that other groups could copy.

GRN is concerned that the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline, and other components of the Southeast Market Pipelines Project, is not justified by any existing need and that their construction and operation will unnecessarily destroy coastal wetlands and impair water quality in rivers and streams in Alabama and Florida, with attendant impacts on the Gulf.

Here’s how to file a motion to intervene. GRN’s was filed with FERC 19 December 2014 as Accession Number: 20141219-5312, “Motion to Intervene of Gulf Restoration Network, Inc. under CP15-17, et al”. -jsq Continue reading Gulf Restoration Network moves to intervene on Sabal Trail et al. →

Southern Company Services intervenes in Sabal Trail at FERC

December 18, 2014Alabama, FERC, Florida, GeorgiaAlabama, FERC, Florida, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Sabal Trail Transmission, Southern Company Services, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TranscoJohn S. Quarterman

A subsidiary of Southern Company, parent of Alabama Power, Georgia Power, and Gulf Power (Florida) has filed a motion to intervene in FERC docket CP15-17 for Sabal Trail Transmission’s pipeline:

“SCS is a current customer of Transco, and the operations of Sabal Trail will traverse the Alabama, Florida and Georgia service territories of SCS’s operating affiliates.”

Filed with FERC 17 December 2014 as Accession Number: 20141217-5122, Continue reading Southern Company Services intervenes in Sabal Trail at FERC →

Florida Gas Transmission intervenes in Sabal Trail CP15-17

December 10, 2014Alabama, Compressor, FERC, Florida, Georgia, LawAlabama, compressor, CP14-554, CP15-16, CP15-17, FERC, FGT Southeast Market Pipeline Project, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, SMP, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TranscoJohn S. Quarterman

How simple a motion to intevene can be: organization name, contacts, and Basis for Intervening. Filing to intervene gets your foot in the door for any further filings or legal actions or participation in hearings. It does not require filing major legal documents at the outset (or ever). It does require filing your motion to intervene by 24 December 2014. It would be prudent not to wait until the last day: you never know when FERC’s efiling system might be down.

This motion to intervene is by Sabal Trail’s competitor Florida Gas Transmission, which is, according to Kinder Morgan:

The Florida Gas Transmission (FGT) pipeline is an approximately 5,500-mile system that transports natural gas from south Texas to south Florida. FGT is owned by Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC, a 100% owned subsidiary of Citrus Corp. Citrus Corp is a 50/50 joint venture between Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI) and Energy Transfer.

FGT didn’t mention in this filing, but it knows sinkholes. Just a year ago FGT had to move its pipeline off of the famous 25-acre sinkhole in Assumption Parish, Louisiana.

Filed with FERC 9 December 2014 as Accession Number: 20141209-5136, “(doc-less) Motion to Intervene of Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC under CP15-17.” Continue reading Florida Gas Transmission intervenes in Sabal Trail CP15-17 →

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 28, 2014Alabama, Economy, Environment, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, LNG, Solar, WaterAlabama, Allies, Economy, environment, Florida, FPL, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Thanksgiving, Water, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Dear SpectraBusters and Allies,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks to all who get out on the street, into the halls of government, or on the media: public awareness is the key to winning this fight.

Thanks to all who quietly and often anonymously help Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving! →

Opposes Sabal Trail pipeline in any portion of Lowndes County –Lowndes County Commission

November 24, 2014Alabama, Economy, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Law, Lowndes County, SafetyAlabama, Bill Slaughter, blast zone, Clyattville Elementary School, Economy, Education, FERC, Florida, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, liability, Lowndes County, personal property rights, Safety, SpectraBusters, taxJohn S. Quarterman

Escalating from the Chairman’s letter of 11 April 2014, perhaps after listening to requests from citizens, the Lowndes County Commission passed a resolution wanting no part of Sabal Trail in the county or in the state of Georgia.

Update 2014-11-25: Well, according to Joe Adgie in the Valdosta Daily Times today, “Even though the missive has already been mailed [to FERC], the resolution will not be formally voted on until the county commission’s next meeting in December [9th].”

Filed with FERC in docket CP15-17 on 21 November 2014 as Accession Number: 20141121-5242, but that was a Friday and FERC doesn’t work on weekends, so it actually appeared Monday 24 November 2014.

RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Spectra Energy of Houston, Texas has proposed to build a $3.7 Billion, 460mile natural gas line known as Sabal Trail, and;
WHEREAS, The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners has concerns regarding personal property rights Continue reading Opposes Sabal Trail pipeline in any portion of Lowndes County –Lowndes County Commission →

Sabal Trail formal FERC filing CP15-17

November 21, 2014Alabama, Economy, FERC, Florida, Georgia, LNG, Solar, WaterAlabama, Economy, eminent domain, FERC, Florida, FPL, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, LNG, NextEra Energy, property rights, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, taxes, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Have Dougherty and Colquitt County sold us out to Sabal Trail? Sabal Trail’s FERC filing seems to say so.

One day after Transco’s Hillabee, Sabal Trail filed CP15-17 21 November 2014 in ten submissions with dozens of PDF files. So Andrea Grover’s “sometime later this year” turns out to be today.

The first submission alone is 581 pages, none of which mention any of the words solar or photovoltaic, nor LNG or export, according to a PDF search. A search for privileged finds that, though. Continue reading Sabal Trail formal FERC filing CP15-17 →

Williams Company formal filing CP15-16 for Hillabee Expansion Project

November 21, 2014Alabama, FERCAlabama, CP15-16, FERC, flow, Hillabee Expansion Project, hydraulic, PF14-6, SpectraBusters, Transco, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Transco’s formal FERC filing of 18 November 2014 isn’t online and the visible “supplement” is almost entirely privileged and hidden from the public, with no new maps or any other new information visible to the public. Why? Because Transco’s ability to compete is more important to FERC than the public’s right to know what this invader from Houston wants to do to local lands:

“These hydraulic flow model files models are proprietary and include competitively sensitive data regarding Transco’s market-area system design and flow conditions, disclosure of which to Transco’s competitors could cause substantial harm to Transco’s continuing ability to compete for new markets and firm transportation commitments.

So, as predicted, Transco has filed, and PF14-6 is of no further use, replaced by Docket number CP15-16.

Accession Number: 20141119-5018, “Supplement to November 18, 2014 Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC application for a CP&N [Hillabee Expansion Project – Hydraulic Flow Model Files] under CP15-16.” is quoted below, and Accession Number: 20141119-5019 has twelve (12) PDF files all marked “PRIVILEGED – Transco ? Hillabee Expansion Project ? Supplemental Information”.

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC
Continue reading Williams Company formal filing CP15-16 for Hillabee Expansion Project →

FERC recovers cost of operations through charges and fees from the industries it regulates –FERC FY14 Budget

November 12, 2014Alabama, Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, History, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, Maryland, Suwannee County, WaterAlabama, appropriation, charges, compressor, Congress, corruption, Cove Point LNG, Dougherty County, Economy, environment, Federal Power Act, fees, FERC, Florida, FPA, Georgia, Hamilton County, History, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, Maryland, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Treasury, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Don’t believe FERC is funded by the industries it regulates? Well, let’s look beyond FERC’s own About web page to its actual funding request to Congress. Maybe that will motivate you to ecomment to FERC right now, and to contact your local, state, and national elected and appointed officials.

Acting Chairman Cheryl A. LaFleur, FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, FY 2015 Congressional Performance Budget Request,

Full Cost Recovery

The Commission recovers the full cost of its operations through annual charges and filing fees assessed on the industries it regulates as authorized by the Federal Power Act (FPA) and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. The Commission deposits this revenue into the Treasury as a direct offset to its appropriation, resulting in no net appropriation.

Clear enough that FERC is 100% funded by the industries it regulates?

That may seem like a win for the taxpayers. But is it a win for you the local landowners Continue reading FERC recovers cost of operations through charges and fees from the industries it regulates –FERC FY14 Budget →

Alabama Sierra Club Retreat talk against Sabal Trail

October 29, 2014Alabama, Barbour County, Economy, Environment, FERC, Hazards, LNG, SolarAlabama, Barbour County, John S. Quarterman, Sabal Trail Transmission, Sierra Club, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

At the Alabama Sierra Club Retreat this weekend at Lakepoint State Park near Eufaula, I’ll be speaking and doing Q&A for an hour: 10AM Saturday 1 November 2014. If you’re anywhere near Eufaula, Alabama this weekend, I highly recommend coming to this retreat: it’s got lots of great talks and activities.

What do you important points do you think I should mention? What graphics can you send me to include in the slides? No rush: leaving Friday morning, so if you could get me your materials by tomorrow (Thursday), that would be great.

FYI, I will be talking about at least Continue reading Alabama Sierra Club Retreat talk against Sabal Trail →