Category Archives: Marion County

Short-term jobs are not worth long-term Sabal Trail risk –Locals to Sabal Trail jobs-seekers at Contractor Fairs

PR sent tonight to about 100 news media:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Live Oak, FL, April 18, 2016 — Local residents and half a dozen environmental organizations want applicants at Sabal Trail pipeline job fairs to know a job for a few weeks isn’t worth risking drinking water for all our families and children and grandchildren. Red line Sabal Trail across most vulnerable area of Florida Aquifer Opponents of the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline and supporters of solar power include the Suwannee-St Johns Sierra Club Group, St Johns Riverkeeper, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Our Santa Fe River, Earth Ethics, Gulf Restoration Network, and SpectraBusters.

Sabal Trail is holding what it calls Contractor Fairs 11AM to 2PM on two days this week, not for people to actually install the pipeline, rather for Continue reading Short-term jobs are not worth long-term Sabal Trail risk –Locals to Sabal Trail jobs-seekers at Contractor Fairs

Sabal Trail Contractor Fairs: Ocala, Live Oak, Albany

Update 10 April 2016: And Moultrie, GA April 15th.

Trying to attract local support in counties where it wants compressor stations, Sabal Trail is holding Contractor Fairs, ignoring that:

Look in the dictionary under chutzpah (insolence), and you’ll see Sabal Trail’s picture. Two years ago in Gilchrist County, FL, Sabal Trail admitted Continue reading Sabal Trail Contractor Fairs: Ocala, Live Oak, Albany

Sabal Trail wants to proceed

In a letter Sabal Trail sent to multiple Florida county commissions, the most important point is “We… are on track to place the pipeline in-service by May 1, 2017.” Important to Spectra Energy, because if they slip that date they could forfeit a $200 million bond and possibly the contract for the project, and they’re having some problems with that, since despite what they imply they do not have all the permits they need.

Then there are those glossed over in passing, such as “with certain conditions” and Continue reading Sabal Trail wants to proceed

Marion County Sinkhole on Sabal Trail path

Janet Barrow says:

Here is a photo of a sinkhole that is 1230 feet from the proposed pipeline at MP 380. It dropped overnight—40′ wide and deep—several years ago.

Sinkhole 1230 feet proposed pipeline at MP 380

This is the biggest recent one on the ranch where I live, but there are others. MP 377 – MP 386 go through the ranch where I live. We don’t own it. My husband is manager. This is in Marion County. 29.094506, -82.405163.

The thing is, I know a lot about this land, and very few others know anything about it. It is Continue reading Marion County Sinkhole on Sabal Trail path

Sabal Trail pipeline not in the public interest

SpectraBusters op-ed published by Ocala newspaper. And the Sabal Trail pipeline still don’t pass the smell test.

Ocala Star-Banner, 16 November 2014, Sabal Trail pipeline not in the public interest.

Illustrated version, with links to the evidence: It don’t pass the smell test: FPL’s extra natural gas pipeline —SpectraBusters.

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Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent and Route Alternatives

A FERC comment period ending 15 November 2014 seems to mean Sabal Trail will miss its 31 October formal filing date. 300x391 Withlacoochee River Crossing Route Alternative, Hamilton and Suwannee Counties, Florida (bare), in Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent, by John S. Quarterman, for SpectraBusters.org, 15 October 2014 No relief suggested for crossing the Withlacoochee River at the border of Brooks and Lowndes Counties, Georgia (or inside Lowndes County next to Valdosta, according to several of the previous alternatives). And every proposed path still crosses the Suwannee River into Suwannee County.

Maybe that’s because the Dougherty County Commission and the Albany City Council actually stood up for their citizens, as did Gilchrist County (see Wacassassa Flats Alternative), while the Suwannee County Commission swallowed Sabal Trail disinformation and the Lowndes County Commission and the Valdosta City Council did little (except one letter from the Chairman) or nothing (except one letter from one Council member).

300x131 Sasser Route Alternative, Albany Compressor station Alternatives, Terrell, Lee, and Dougherty Counties. Georgia (bottom), in Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent, by John S. Quarterman, for SpectraBusters.org, 15 October 2014 There’s still time for Dougherty, Lowndes, and all the other counties and cities to pass ordinances, and to lobby state and federal agencies and elected and appointed officials. Oh, and there’s an election going on.

Also no mention of Sabal Trail’s Jasper, Florida Open House, 5-7:30 Tuesday 21 October 2014, but STT’s newspaper notice said the public is invited, so y’all come!

Filed with FERC today, 15 October 2014, Supplemental Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environment Impact Statement for the Planned Southeast Market Pipeline Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues etc. re Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC under PF14-1.

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Docket No. PF14-1-000

Continue reading Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent and Route Alternatives

Does the state really need a new pipeline to supply more power plants? –Ocala StarBanner

A newspaper editorial dared to ask the most basic question.
Editorial: A power play, Ocala StarBanner, Saturday 26 July 2014, http://www.ocala.com/article/20140726/OPINION01/140729777?p=all&tc=pgall

“But the overarching question is whether the state’s big utilities really need more power plants.

“If not, the pipeline isn’t worth the risk — especially when conservation and alternative energy sources could save customers and the environment.”

Duke Energy doesn’t care whether Sabal Trail pipeline is ever built

Raining on Spectra’s pipeline parade, Duke Energy’s Citrus County power plant open house once again emphasized Duke doesn’t care if Spectra and FPL’s fracked methane pipeline is ever built. And it’s not just because of Duke’s power plant that natural gas prices may go up soon: Sabal Trail feeding methane to already-authorized LNG export operations in Florida would also push prices up. So why build that useless Sabal Trail boondoggle? Why build that Duke gas plant, for that matter; why not go straight to solar power in the Sunshine State?

Fred Hiers wrote for Ocala.com 14 July 2014, Utility will build plant with or without new pipeline, Continue reading Duke Energy doesn’t care whether Sabal Trail pipeline is ever built

Sustainable Spectra? Like healthy cigarettes?

What company prints its sustainability report on wind-powered paper, yet pipes a greenhouse gas 20 times worse than CO2? Yep, it’s Spectra Energy, also bragging about how respectful they are to Sabal Trail “stakeholders”. Selling fracked methane through a 36-inch pipe in a hundred-foot gash through forests and wetlands with a thousand-foot explosive radius is like selling cigarettes and claiming you’re for good health. Tobacco companies can’t get away with that any more, and why should fossil fuel companies?

On the very last page of a 16-page report, 2013 Sustainability Highlights Report, Spectra Energy says:

This paper is manufactured using clean, renewable wind-power energy and carbon offsets for additional savings.

That’s the only mention of wind or renewable energy in the document, while solar power is not mentioned even once.

And look at Spectra’s Purpose on page 2: Continue reading Sustainable Spectra? Like healthy cigarettes?

Say no to pipeline bait and switch –Marihelen Wheeler

This op-ed spells out actions by Sabal Trail and FERC, that it interprets as deception, and it concludes we can all say no to that unnecessary pipeline. I’ve added a few pictures and links.

Marihelen Wheeler wrote an op-ed in the Ocala StarBanner 1 June 2014, Floridians can and must say no to gas pipeline,

It should be called “psychological bait and switch.” This tactic is being used by corporations trying to engage and solicit residents’ support for controversial projects that will negatively impact those residents. Among the most recent projects is the proposed Sabal Trail gas pipeline that will disturb about 13,670 acres of Florida land.

A company’s first move is to propose an idea that is so distasteful that, Continue reading Say no to pipeline bait and switch –Marihelen Wheeler