Category Archives: FE

Office of Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

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 →

OSFR v. FPL: head to head in the Gainesville Sun

August 18, 2014Economy, FE, FERC, Fracking, Hazards, LNG, SolarEconomy, FE, FERC, FPL, Fracking, Gainesville Sun, Georgia Power, Hazards, Jim Tatum, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, OSFR, Our Santa Fe River, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Evidently Spectra’s Andrea Grover was too obviously failing to convince people to stop worrying and love the Sabal Trail pipeline, because FPL President and CEO Eric Silagy has taken up the mighty megaphone of methane talking points. And the Gainesville Sun ran him on the same page as Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and Jim Tatum of Our Santa Fe River, today, 18 August 2014. Here are the links and a few excerpts. Read ’em for yourselves!

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and Jim Tatum, Pipeline poses multiple problems,

Again, we must point out that Florida Power & Light just recently estimated that in 10 years the demand for power will increase approximately 13 percent, but the Sabal Trail’s new pipeline would have an increase of 33 percent delivery capability. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed a report with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission saying that the recently completed (2011) Southeast Supply Header System was designed as an “alternative natural-gas source during hurricane-related disruptions in the Gulf of Mexico.”

That’s actually an underestimate Continue reading OSFR v. FPL: head to head in the Gainesville Sun →

A fourth Florida LNG export request: Strom, Inc. from Starke, FL

August 12, 2014FE, FERC, Florida, LNGAlligator Creek, Atlantic Ocean, Bradford County, Carib Energy, Crowley Maritime, FE, FERC, Florida, Gainesville, Gulf of Mexico, Jacksonville, Jaxport, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Lower St. Johns River Watershed, New River, Our Santa Fe River, Santa Fe River, Scoping Meetings, SpectraBusters, St. Johns Riverkeeper, Starke, Suwannee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Still time to object to this fourth company filing to export Sabal Trail fracked methane, adding to the three already authorized. FERC knew about this Strom LNG export request before the last three FERC Scoping Meetings, and never told us. This fourth LNG export operation will affect both the Santa Fe River watershed and the St Johns River watershed.

Strom, Inc. filed LNG export authorization requests with U.S. DoE’s Office of Fossil Energy (FE) 18 April 2014, all still being considered, all for liquifying in Starke, Bradford County, Florida, all for 25 years, and all explicitly saying they want to use Sabal Trail fracked methane.

In FE’s list of 2014 – LNG Export, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Re-Exports & Long Term Natural Gas Applications: Continue reading A fourth Florida LNG export request: Strom, Inc. from Starke, FL →

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 →

New pipelines are for fracking and LNG export –FE official to Congress

August 5, 2014FE, FERC, Florida, Fracking, LNG, MARADAlgonquin Pipeline, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Cove Point, Deepwater Port Licensing Program, DoE, Elba Island, FE, FERC, Florida, Fracking, John S. Quarterman, Jordan Cove, LNG, MARAD, Maritime Administration, Maritimes Pipeline, Office of Fossil Energy, Paula Gant, Port Dolphin, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Subcommittee on Energy and Power, Transco, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation, United States House of Representatives, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

The U.S. DoE official in charge of natural gas testified to FERC’s oversight committee that fracking provides “unprecedented opportunities” for profit through LNG export. She, like FERC, says the opportunities are “for the United States”, and they’re both wrong. Pipelines to LNG export that would raise domestic natural gas prices and take local land and pollute local air and water is not for the U.S.: they’re for profit by a few fossil fuel companies and Continue reading New pipelines are for fracking and LNG export –FE official to Congress →

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 →

Pipeline EIA insufficient without interstate highway option –EPA

June 16, 2014Constitution Pipeline, EPA, FE, FERC, Hazards, Law, New York, PennsylvaniaConstitution Pipeline, EPA, FERC, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Judy-Ann Mitchell, New York, Pennsylvania, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Transco, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

If FERC needs to consider an interstate highway route for the Constitution Pipeline through Pennsylvania and New York State, it also needs to consider running down I-75 through Georgia and Florida for the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline. Just as numerous state and federal agencies insisted on that in New York and Pennsylvania, state agencies in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida and the same federal agencies can insist on the same for the Transco -> Sabal Trail -> FSC 100-foot-wide gash to the sea.

Joe Mahoney wrote for The Daily Star 17 April 2014, EPA deems pipeline study ‘insufficient’,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that a draft report on the environmental impacts of the proposed Constitution Pipeline is “insufficient,” and that a potential option of co-locating the transmission line along Interstate 88 “has Continue reading Pipeline EIA insufficient without interstate highway option –EPA →

LNG exports worse than coal –U.S DoE

June 12, 2014Environment, FE, Law, Leak, LNG, Solar, WaterChina, environment, FE, John S. Quarterman, Law, leak, LNG, LNG export, Office of Fossil Energy, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

The same Office of Fossil Energy (FE) that authorizes LNG exports now reports that methane leaks from fracking wells and pipelines are at least as bad for the climate as CO2 from coal. Add to that the destruction of private property rights, wetlands and forests, and overuse and contamination of groundwater, and fracked methane is a disaster. Plus it diverts resources that could be used to go straight to solar and wind power.

Steven Mufson wrote for the Washington Post 9 June 2014, Exporting U.S. natural gas isn’t as “clean” as you think,

The report is titled “Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting Liquefied Natural Gas from the United States.”

It says the benefits of cleaner, more efficient combustion of natural gas are largely offset by methane leakage in U.S. production and pipelines and by methane leaks and energy used in the process of liquefying and transporting the LNG. In the case of shipping LNG from the U.S. gulf coast to Shanghai, the greenhouse gas benefits could in some cases be completely offset by those factors when measured over a 20-year period, the report says.

The Energy Department report was released Continue reading LNG exports worse than coal –U.S DoE →

The Halliburton fracking Loophole and LNG exports

June 1, 2014Economy, Environment, FE, FERC, Fracking, Law, LNGClean Water Cat, Climate Change, coal, CWA, Economy, Ed Markey, EIA, Energy Policy Act, environment, EPA2005, export, FE, FERC, Fracking, Halliburton Loophole, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, NEPA, nuclear, RCRA, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, review, Safe Drinking Water Act, SDWA, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

So FE proposes to follow the law, NEPA, specifically. How about we also repeal the Halliburton Loophole in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPA2005) that enables fracking and LNG exports?

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE)’s parent U.S. Department of Energy (DoE)’s writeup on EPA2005 doesn’t mention its fracking effects or liquid natural gas (LNG) storage or export. FERC’s writeup spells out that EPA2005 not just enabled but required LNG export:

Mandatory within 60 days after date of enactment
Continue reading The Halliburton fracking Loophole and LNG exports →

LNG export approval pause puts FERC on hook for EIAs

June 1, 2014Economy, Environment, FE, FERC, Law, LNGEconomy, Ed Markey, EIA, environment, export, FE, FERC, Law, LNG, NEPA, review, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

FERC won’t be able to say it doesn’t know anything about LNG exports anymore, with this plan to require FERC environmental assessments before FE authorization. But this does nothing about the FE authorizations aleady granted, including the three at the end of the Transco -> Sabal -> FSC pipeline. A better idea: cancel LNG exports and build solar power instead.

Jennifer A. Dlouhy wrote for Fuelfix 30 May 2014, Winners and losers in feds’ new gas export review plan,

The Energy Department intends to scrap a two-year-old approach for considering applications to export LNG to countries that don’t have free trade agreements with the United States. Instead of reviewing them in the order they were filed, as the agency largely does now, the Energy Department would first tackle those that have already cleared an expensive, time-consuming environmental assessment typically done by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Sen. Ed Markey’s statement of 29 May 2014, Markey Commends DOE Move to Study Impacts of Large-scale Natural Gas Exports, heads in the right direction but doesn’t go far enough: Continue reading LNG export approval pause puts FERC on hook for EIAs →