Category Archives: Environment

We were told to shut up or quit –Spectra Energy whistleblowers

Even Spectra workers sometimes develop a conscience. These whistleblowers are not the first, and thirty years of Spectra’s sordid safety record agrees with them. Tonight you can help stop Spectra from drilling under the Suwannee River in Florida, and that will help stop Spectra in Burrillville, Rhode Island.

Steve Ahlquist, RI Future.org, 30 November 2015, Former inspectors allege safety issues with Spectra pipeline project,

Two safety inspectors who worked on Spectra Energy’s proposed methane gas pipeline that will cut through Burrillville, RI, say the company cut corners when it came to project, worker and environmental safety.

“Right now, what they’re hoping to do, is they’re hoping to slam all this through, and then at the end ask for forgiveness,” said one of the former inspectors. “Oops, sorry about that, I didn’t know, let me write you a check. Because once this thing’s turning meter, they’re going to be making millions of dollars a day. It doesn’t matter what your problems are…”

The other added, “We were told to shut the fuck up or quit.”

Both men, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, were subcontracted by Spectra and both were Continue reading We were told to shut up or quit –Spectra Energy whistleblowers

Sabal Trail is a reckless proposal –GA State Senator Sims to FERC

Sabal Trail targets those most vulnerable, the “elderly, disabled and without monetary or political means to “fight” such an environmentally intrusive plan.”

Filed with FERC 23 October 2015 as Accession Number 20151023-5278, “Comment of Senator Freddie Powell Sims under CP15-17”:

FREDDIE POWELL SIMS
District 12
110-A State Capitol
Atlanta. Georgia 30334
Phone: (404) 463-5259
Fax: (404) 463-2279
Email: Freddie.Sims@senate.ga.gov

COMMITTEES:

Interstate Cooperation, Vice-Chairman
Education and Youth, Secretary
Appropriations
Finance
Natural Resources and the Environment

The State Senate

Atlanta, Georgia 30334

October 20, 2015

Letter to FERC Kimberly D. Bose
Secretary
Federal Energy Regulation Commission
888 First Street, N.E.
Washingtun, DC 20426

Dear Ms. Bose:

As State Senator for District 12 in the State of Georgia, I write this letter in opposition to the proposed Sabal Pipeline location in the populous area of Dougherty County / Albany, Georgia. The Sabal Pipeline proposed location is a “reckless” proposal that negates the health and safety of current and future residents of Dougherty County / Albany, Georgia. Many of the residents Continue reading Sabal Trail is a reckless proposal –GA State Senator Sims to FERC

Videos: Citizens against Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail pipeline to FERC in Albany, Moultrie, Valdosta, and Lake City

Citizens renamed Sabal Trail the Sinkhole Pipeline because it doesn’t belong in the sinkhole-prone karst limestone of the Floridan Aquifer. FERC can’t say they weren’t told, since videographers followed them through all four cities so far; see for yourself.

Albany, Monday 28 September 2015, videos by Thomas Swain

Moultrie, Tuesday 29 September 2015, videos by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE)

“You tell us you’re sorry and it happens again”, said Continue reading Videos: Citizens against Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail pipeline to FERC in Albany, Moultrie, Valdosta, and Lake City

Citizens oppose Sabal Trail in Albany, Moultrie, and Valdosta this week –WTOC, Albany, GA

Property rights, environment, health, and safety are why citizens oppose Sabal Trail, including tonight in Albany or Tuesday in Moultrie or Wednesday in Valdosta. Be sure to show up by 5:30 PM to sign up to speak.

Caitlyn Chastain, WTOC, 28 September 2015, Public meetings ahead for Sabal Trail Pipeline, starting today,

It’s a project that has gained a lot of attention and a lot of criticism.

Many people are concerned Continue reading Citizens oppose Sabal Trail in Albany, Moultrie, and Valdosta this week –WTOC, Albany, GA

FERC sides with Sabal Trail in DEIS: Surprise!

Anybody who thought FERC would do a real Draft Environmental Impact Statement is disappointed. But they shouldn’t be surprised: FERC, 100% funded by the industries they “regulate”, is a rubberstamp machine. But that’s no reason to give up. It’s reason to stand up, and take advantage of many more opportunities to stop the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail pipeline and get on with renewable solar and wind power.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 13 September 2015, FERC Sabal Trail ruling comes amidst protest: Group holds fasting vigil outside federal agency’s offices,

ALBANY — Even as a group started a fast in front of the agency’s Washington, D.C., offices and questions arose in Florida over the safety record of Spectra Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission made it clear this week that it had no intention of standing in the way of construction of the proposed Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Local opponents Continue reading FERC sides with Sabal Trail in DEIS: Surprise!

Three-week fast in front of FERC by BXE 9-25 September 2015

Many its members have already gotten flattened by the FERC rubberstamp process. They’ve been protesting outside and inside FERC meetings. They’ve gotten arrested and a judge acquitted one of them because FERC violated the First Amendment. Now Beyond Extreme Energy is escalating to a water-only fast outside FERC until Pope Francis arrives.

The pope who in his June encylical Laudato Si wrote that Continue reading Three-week fast in front of FERC by BXE 9-25 September 2015

Building the pipeline would endanger the quality of the ecosystem –Rosanne Lewis

Will Spectra sue to avoid protecting gopher tortoises like it challenged a fine for not protecting the western toad? Here’s a comment on We are outraged…:

As a resident of Dougherty county, Georgia, I feel it imperative that I voice my opposition to the proposed path of the Sabal pipeline through the property behind my home. The land where the proposed pipeline is to be located is home to several endangered species, as well as several areas of wetlands. In walking the property during the winter months, we have seen gopher tortoises, Continue reading Building the pipeline would endanger the quality of the ecosystem –Rosanne Lewis

We are outraged about a proposed gas pipeline cutting through our property!! –Sarah Phillips to GA-DNR

Yes, how about a public hearing run by GA-DNR where Sabal Trail actually has to answer questions in public? GA-DNR may not publish comments about that proposed Sabal Trail air quality permit, deadline August 7th, but we asked for citizens to copy SpectraBusters for publication, and this one did.

From: Sarah Phillips
Date: August 4, 2015 at 2:26:52 PM EDT
To: eric.cornwell@gadnr.org
Subject: Application #23350

300x318 Parcel 00334/00009/024, in We are outraged about a proposed gas pipeline cutting through our property!!., by Sarah Phillips to GA-DNR, for SpectraBusters.org, 4 August 2015 Mr. Cornwell, I am a resident of Dougherty County, and we own the land behind our house through which Sabal Trail proposes to clearcut a wide swath to run their natural gas pipeline. These 800 acres are a habitat for several gopher tortoises, a few pileated woodpeckers, wild turkey, ducks and deer. We have wetlands and wet weather ponds. We are good stewards of this land, and we treasure it. We are outraged about a proposed gas pipeline cutting through our property!!

Dougherty County is the only Continue reading We are outraged about a proposed gas pipeline cutting through our property!! –Sarah Phillips to GA-DNR

Call to Action by State Representative Darrel Bush Ealum

Now’s the time to ask your state legislators to help Rep. Ealum oppose Sabal Trail’s proposed fracked methane pipeline. Here’s a handy table of all the Georgia state House and Senate members from the counties along the proposed pipeline path.

You may want to mention the August 7th deadline for comments to GA-EPD about the proposed Albany compressor station.

And don’t forget to call Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and sign the petition to him, and you can still ecomment to FERC.

Urgent Alert

Call to Action by State Representative Darrel Bush Ealum (PDF)

Darrel Bush Ealum, State Representative, Georgia House District 153 met with Governor Deal to discuss the serious environmental and cumulative impact that the proposed SABAL Trail transmission line and compressor station will have on the posed nine counties it will pass through in Georgia.

Governor Deal was Continue reading Call to Action by State Representative Darrel Bush Ealum

Comment to GA-EPD on Sabal Trail air quality permit application by 2015-08-08

An air quality permit for the proposed Albany compressor station is one of many local and state permits FERC requires Sabal Trail to get. This is a big one, because no compressor station, no pipeline.

Roger Marietta remarks:

You can email Georgia EPD prior to August 8th GA EPD: eric.cornwell@gadnr.org re: application # 23350 (Air Quality Permit Application) focus on methane and other toxic gases leaking and being blown off during pressure releases and unburnt gases and CO2 from the continuously running compressor station power turbines. Ask for a public hearing as well.

Recommend you send more than one comment and focus on a different issue each time.

Copy spectrabusters@gmail.com on your ecomment to GA-EPD and we’ll probably blog it.

And don’t forget to call GA Governor Deal and sign the petition to him.

Do it now, or you may hear that compressor sound in your sleep.

-jsq