Category Archives: Alabama

Make Sabal Trail resurvey all the properties –Bill Kendall

September 30, 2014Alabama, Ethics, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Georgia, History, Law, Lowndes CountyAlabama, Bill Kendall, eminent domain, Ethics, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, FPL, GA EPD, GDOT, Georgia, History, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, STTJohn S. Quarterman

Update 27 October 2014: Added page 3 FERC had omitted, about lack of need, most property owners already have a pipeline, explosions, false pretense, and duress.

Because of the last point about Nathan Deal, several people brought this ecomment to my attention today. Its main request is for FERC to vacate surveys taken through permission obtained through misleading letters, and make Sabal Trail resurvey only those properties whose landowners give permission after being informed important information such as that Sabal Trail cannot use Georgia eminent domain.

Actually, the Lowndes County government got a letter from Sabal Trail 19 June 2013, even earlier than the ones noted below. Also, the point about Delays I haven’t seen before, especially combined with the point about harm to landowners. The date of formation reaches its punchline two pages later in reputation. I added the links and images. Filed with FERC 30 September 2014.

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary; FERC;
Concerning PF14-1

On December 19, 2012, Florida Power & Light, hereafter referred to as FPL. issued a Request For Proposal with a deadline of April 3, 2013 ((A) see attached Florida PSC report), to construct a natural gas pipeline from Southwest central Alabama to South central Florida a distance of some 700 miles and completely by-passing Georgia ((B) see attached FPL map).
Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC, hereafter referred to as STT, changed the FPL route, at their discretion, Continue reading Make Sabal Trail resurvey all the properties –Bill Kendall →

Spectra Energy and gas pipeline campaign contributions to GA Gov. Nathan Deal

September 19, 2014Alabama, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, LNG, Louisiana, Tennessee, TexasAECOM, Alabama, Bill Haslam, California, Colorado, Consolidated Pipe & Supply Company, Ernst & Young, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Jason Carter, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Louisiana, Mark Udall, Mary Landrieu, Mexico, Nathan Deal, NextEra, Rick Scott, Robert J. Bentley, Sempra, SpectraBusters, Tennessee, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

Tied for number 3 and receiving $10,000 in 2014 Top Vendors/Recipients from Spectra Energy according to OpenSecrets.org: Governor Nathan Deal of Georgia, where Spectra wants to gouge a 100-foot right of way for its 36-inch fracked methane Sabal Trail pipeline. Actually, Nathan Deal’s campaign committee has accepted at least $21,300 from natural gas pipeline companies, including $15,000 from companies that build LNG export terminals (Sempra and AECOM) or that build pipelines to LNG export terminals (Spectra and AECOM). and $6,300 from an Alabama pipeline supply company (Consolidated Pipe & Supply Company).

Tied with Deal for third and also receiving $10,000 from Spectra:

Governor Robert J. Bentley of Alabama, where the Sabal Trail pipeline starts, connecting to Williams Transco’s Hillabee Expansion Project, which along with Sabal Trail and FSC forms the Southeast Market Expansion Project.
Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee, where Spectra wants to start its same-size Renaissance Pipeline to run through northeast Alabama and north Georgia past Atlanta.

Let’s look at candidate Nathan Deal’s most recent Georgia campaign contribution disclosure report contributions, for June 30th 2014: Continue reading Spectra Energy and gas pipeline campaign contributions to GA Gov. Nathan Deal →

A methane pipeline company sues a newspaper about publishing open records

September 18, 2014Alabama, FERC, Jefferson County, Law, PHMSA, SafetyAL PSC, Alabama, Alabama Gas Co, Alabama Public Service Commission, Alagasco, DIMP, Distribution Integrity Management Plan, First Amendment, freedom of the press, Jefferson County, John S. Quarterman, Law, Montgomery Advertiser, open records, PHMSA, prior restraint, public records, Safety, SpectraBusters, Tom Clifford, USA TodayJohn S. Quarterman

How desperate is the pipeline industry getting? One has gone so far as to demand a court grant it veto power over public open records.

Kala Kachmar, Montgomery Advertiser, 17 September 2014, Alagasco sues Advertiser to stop use of pipe safety plan,

Alabama Gas Corporation has taken legal action to attempt to stop the Montgomery Advertiser from publishing or writing about the company’s document that outlines a plan to ensure the safety of gas pipes.

The document, Alagasco’s Distribution Integrity Management Plan (DIMP), was obtained in June through a public records request to the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC), which oversees the state’s utilities.

All gas companies are required by the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to file a plan that assures pipeline safety and integrity with the state entity that oversees utility companies.

The regulation requires Continue reading A methane pipeline company sues a newspaper about publishing open records →

Sabal Trail Response to FERC directive of 26 August 2014

September 17, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Lowndes County, WaterAlabama, Andrea Grover, Chris Mericle, Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, John Peconom, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Would it or wouldn’t it cross the Withlacoochee River in Florida? (It certainly would in Georgia by 4 out of 5 proposed paths.) And Sabal Trail poo-poohed all four of Greenlaw’s suggested Alternatives, but FERC could still require any one of them. Here are Sabal Trail’s own maps of Greenlaw Alternatives 1-4:

Continue reading Sabal Trail Response to FERC directive of 26 August 2014 →

FPL to purchase NextEra gas fracking subsidiary in Oklahoma

August 30, 2014Alabama, Economy, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, LNG, Martin County, SolarAlabama, Debra Johnson, Economy, Ethics, FE, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, Floridian LNG, FPL, FSC, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, LNG, LNG export, Martin County, NextEra Energy, NextEra Energy Gas Producing, NextEra Energy Resources, Oklahoma, PetroQuest, Riviera Beach, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, SpectraBusters, Transco, Williams Company, Woodford Shale, WSGP Gas ProducingJohn S. Quarterman

FPL integrated ownership of fracking and pipelines to LNG export for its profit, at the expense of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida landowners, U.S. natural gas customers, and of course FPL ratepayers: that’s what FPL is hoping to wrap up at the Florida PSC.

FPL wants to buy the 50% its parent NextEra Energy bought of “independent” PetroQuest’s Oklahoma fracking operation back in 2010 before FPL put out its December 2012 RFP for what ended up being the Transco -> Sabal Trail -> FSC methane pipeline to Martin County, Florida, plus an FPL pipeline from there to the sea at Riviera Beach. where meanwhile three LNG export operations have been authorized and a fourth LNG export operation has reqeusted a permit from FERC.

FPL’s PR of 25 June 2014 doesn’t mention most of the above, not even that NextEra already owns half of PetroQuest’s Oklahoma fracking operation. FPL proposes innovative plan to invest in natural gas to save customers millions of dollars and lower long-term fuel costs, Continue reading FPL to purchase NextEra gas fracking subsidiary in Oklahoma →

Explain karst, sinkholes, discrepencies, and routes around Albany and the Withlacoochee River –FERC to Sabal Trail

August 27, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Lowndes County, Tift CountyAlabama, Albany, Dougherty County, FGT, Florida, Georgia, Greenlaw, Hamilton County, Hillabee Alternative, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, SpectraBusters, Tift County, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

FERC just directed Sabal Trail to actually address problems raised by citizens and local government agencies, plus numerous discrepencies FERC itself detected. Opposition to this unnecessary and hazardous fracked methane pipeline is having effects, even with rubberstamping FERC. But watch out Tifton, Valdosta, Thomasville, and The Villages! You’re now on possible routes.

Sabal Trail is to provide details for Greenlaw’s route-around-Albany proposals on behalf of Sierra Club and others Valdosta, you’re back in two proposed routes, the the one you saw last summer, plus one down I-75 that would go right past Lowndes High School and also past The Villages in sinkhole-prone Sumter County, Florida. Tifton, you’re not safe; look at that Hillabee route. Thomasville watch out: you’re on a new proposed route.

Sabal Trail is to provide alternatives to minimize effects on or completely avoid the Withlacoochee River, and this is even before the Hamilton County Commission’s resolution against the pipeline gets to FERC.

FERC’s letter is peppered with requirements to cooperate with federal, state, and local agencies especially including about land use and environmental requirements and land approvals.

It explicitly says that all surveys Continue reading Explain karst, sinkholes, discrepencies, and routes around Albany and the Withlacoochee River –FERC to Sabal Trail →

State and local permitting for Sabal Trail pipeline

August 24, 2014Alabama, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Georgia, Jefferson County, Law, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, PHMSA, WaterAlabama, FERC, FL PSC, FL-DEP, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, FSC, GA EPD, GA PSC, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, permit, Sabal Trail Transmission, Santa Fe River, Southeast Market Pipelines Project, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee River, Suwannee River Water Management District, Williams Company, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

The Florida Public Service Commission has a special say in the Southeast Market Pipelines Project because the Florida Southeast Connection (FSC) leg of this pipeline is completely inside Florida and completely owned by FPL, a Florida regulated electric utility. And Florida has a say because the entire excuse for the three-part Transco -> Sabal Trail -> FSC project is that supposedly Florida needs the power (it doesn’t, but that’s the excuse). FPL is getting so desperate for public acceptance of this boondoggle they pressed their own CEO, Eric Silagy, into attempting to rebut Our Santa Fe River’s latest entry in the op-ed debate.

Sabal Trail and FERC would like everyone to believe state regulators have no say, but that’s just not true. It’s not even clear GA PSC has no say, considering that Continue reading State and local permitting for Sabal Trail pipeline →

Timeline: Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline has no permit yet

August 12, 2014Alabama, Compressor, Economy, Environment, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazard, Hazards, Kentucky, Law, LNG, New YorkAlabama, Economy, EIS, environment, Environmental Impact Statment, Ethics, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, FSC, Georgia, Hazards, Hillabee Expansion Project, intervenor, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG export, permit, process, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, timeline, Transco, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

Spectra, FPL, and Williams have not even formally filed with FERC for pipeline permits yet, and that process usually takes about a year. Permitting confusion benefits Spectra about its Sabal Trail Transmission 36-inch hundred-foot-right-of-way fracked methane pipeline, because people don’t know what they can do. You can file ecomments right now, and show up and protest. As soon as the pipeline company files for the formal permit process, you can file as an intervenor, which gives you legal rights to be heard, file legal briefs, and to appeal. Plus many state and local permits also have to be filed, and people can participate in those processes. Even if there ever is a FERC permit, a landowner who makes the pipeline company actually go through the eminent domain process will very likely get a better deal. If enough landowners say Come and Take It, the whole thing may become uneconomical for Spectra, as for Williams Company when it cancelled the Bluegrass Pipeline in Kentucky.

FERC’s Pre-Filing Process

Spectra and Williams and FPL are currently in the pre-filing process with FERC, Continue reading Timeline: Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline has no permit yet →

South Dougherty League Sabal Trail pipeline meeting today

August 12, 2014Alabama, Compressor, Dougherty County, Explosion, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Law, TexasAlabama, compressor, Dougherty County, eminent domain, Exonomy, explosion, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, South Dougherty Community League, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

Not just for Ted Turner, former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham, and Greenlaw anymore: now the whole neighborhood south of Albany is objecting to that fracked methane pipeline and its compressor station. Plus the hundred people who showed up at the FERC Scoping Meeting 4 March 2014, and more who went to U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop’s (GA-02) listening session 17 April 2014. When Spectra’s Andrea Grover bragged in op-eds about the 50 public meetings, she forgot to mention that the public response was overwhelmingly against Spectra’s pipeline, and that opposition is growing.

Melody Briscoe wrote for WALB TV 9 August 2014, Meeting over concern of pipeline and compressor, Continue reading South Dougherty League Sabal Trail pipeline meeting today →

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 →

SpectraBusters

We ain't afraid a no pipeline!