Category Archives: Florida

Sabal Trail in Albany, GA 2014-10-20

October 16, 2014Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Osceola CountyAlbany, Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Gloria Gaines, Hamilton County, Jasper, John Peconom, John S. Quarterman, Kissimmee, Osceola County, SpectraBusters, TrentonJohn S. Quarterman

A Sabal Trail Open House in Albany, Dougherty County, GA Monday, then one in Jasper, Hamilton County, FL Tuesday. That’s the first two places in the route alternatives Sabal Trail just published. Does that mean Trenton, Gilchrist County, FL Wednesday and Kissimmee, Osceola County, FL Thursday? There is no published Open House schedule on sabaltrailtransmission.com or ferc.gov, so anybody who knows of more of these, let us know.

facebook event created today by Jen Maloney:

Sabal Trail “Open House”

Monday, October 20 at 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Hilton Garden Inn Albany Hotel
101 S Front St, Albany, Georgia 31701

The picture is by Continue reading Sabal Trail in Albany, GA 2014-10-20 →

Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent and Route Alternatives

October 15, 2014Alabama, Brooks County, Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Hazards, Lee County, Levy County, Lowndes County, Marion County, Osceola County, Suwannee County, Tallapoosa County, WaterAlabama, Alachua County Sasser Route Alternative, Albany, Brooks County, compressor, Dougherty County, drill, EIS, environment, Environmental Impact Statement, FERC, Flint River, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, FSC, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Happy Trails Route Alternative, Hazards, Hillabee Expansion, Jasper, John S. Quarterman, karst, Kioke Creek, Kioke-Flint, Lee County, Levy County, Lowndes County, Marion County, National Environmental Policy Act, NEPA, NextEra Energy, Osceola County, SMP, Southeast Market Pipelines Project, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, springs, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Suwannee River State Park, Tallapoosa County, Terrell County, Valdosta, Wacassassa Flats Route Alternative, Water, Williams Company, Withlacoochee River, Withlacoochee River Crossing Route AlternativeJohn S. Quarterman

A FERC comment period ending 15 November 2014 seems to mean Sabal Trail will miss its 31 October formal filing date. 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).

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.

-jsq

Docket No. PF14-1-000
Continue reading Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent and Route Alternatives →

Sabal Trail invites you to an Open House in Jasper, Florida

October 14, 2014Environment, FERC, Florida, Hamilton County, LNG, WaterChattahoochee River, Chris Mericle, Deanna Mericle, environment, FERC, Flint River, Florida, Florida Gateway Golf & Country Club, Floridan Aquifer, FPL, Hamilton County, Jasper, John S. Quarterman, karst, limestone, Sabal Trail Transmission, Santa Fe River, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee River, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Sabal Trail invites the public to an Open House about a Withlacoochee Alternative that would avoid the Withlacoochee River in Hamilton County, Florida.

Update 2014-10-15: SpectraBusters facebook event and Sabal Trail new route alternatives filing.

Maybe you’d like to ask them how about avoiding the Withlacoochee River in Lowndes County, Georgia? Or about those three already-authorized LNG export operations right where that pipeline leads. How about why all seven proposed paths would cross the Suwannee River into Suwannee County, Florida? How about asking them not to cross the Santa Fe River, the Suwannee River, the Flint, or the Chattahoochee? Hm, that might mean there’s no path for their pipeline….

Tuesday, October 21, 2014
5:00pm — 7:30pm
Florida Gateway Golf & Country Club
8055 U.S. Highway 129 South, Jasper, Florida 32052

Most of it’s the usual STT boilerplate, plus this: Continue reading Sabal Trail invites you to an Open House in Jasper, Florida →

Help stop pipelines: donate to SpectraBusters today

October 14, 2014Economy, FERC, Florida, PRbillboard, donate, Economy, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, FSC, Hillabee Expansion Project, I-75, John S. Quarterman, Lake City, NextEra Energy, post card, PR, Sabal Trail Transmission, sign, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Transco, Williams Companyspectrabusters

You can donate to SpectraBusters to help stop the unnecessary, environmentally damaging, and hazardous Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline, and its siblings Transco Hillabee and FSC, too.

You can help pay for contacting landowners (so they’ll hear something more than pipeline company PR), for contacting the public with billboards (currently we’re aiming for I-75 southbound near Lake City), and other work, ranging from research possibly up to legal assistance. Donate online today!

And don’t forget to send an ecomment to FERC.

Policy passed unanimously by SpectraBusters board 1 September 2014

Continue reading →

Suwannee County Commission swallows Sabal Trail misinformation

October 13, 2014Florida, Hazards, Law, Leak, LNG, Pennsylvania, Suwannee CountyClyde Flemming, Debra Johnson, Florida, FPL, Jason Bashaw, John S. Quarterman, Live Oak, Phil Oxendine, Ricky Gamble, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Wesley WainwrightJohn S. Quarterman

After FPL visited it, the Suwannee County Commission decided they couldn’t do anything; nevermind that pipeline and fracking ordinances have worked in Pennsylvania and New York state, and there’s no reason to believe they wouldn’t in Florida. There’s still time for the Commissioners to stand up for the citizens of Suwannee County, Florida.

John S. Koch wrote for Suwannee Valley Times 8 October 2014, Sable Trail – Suwannee Commissioners say gas pipeline needed

The commission chairman noted that they have a copy of the resolution passed recently by the Hamilton County Commission addressing the issue as well as all the information about the Sable Trails Project released by the company handling the project. However, the board has taken no action one way or the other.

The key phrase in there seems to be “all the information about the Sable Trails Project released by the company handling the project”. Perhaps the Commission would like to dig a little deeper than information produced by the one company with the most vested interest in saying the pipeline is a great thing. This would be the same Chairman who denied his previous on-video Sabal Trail comments after he heard from FPL.

Phil Oxendine has a problem with the pipeline but not for safety concerns but rather political reasons. “We are overseas right now and that reason is because of our need for oil and the sooner we get away from that use the better we all will be.” Oxendine also feels it is not in the best interest of the country to export the gas but that is an entirely different issue he said.

Nevermind the Continue reading Suwannee County Commission swallows Sabal Trail misinformation →

Sabal Trail opposition gets national media attention

October 12, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, LawAlabama, Associated Press, Dougherty County, Economy, environment, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, NextEra Energy, Ray Henry, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

The AP finally picked up on opposition, newspapers and TV stations from San Francisco to Washington, DC and from Utah and Chicago to Miami picked up the AP story that same day, including Spectra Energy’s home town of Houston, Texas, plus Canada and New Zealand, followed by the Valdosta Daily Times today, for at least 27 stories total.

Ray Henry wrote for AP Saturday 11 October 2014, New $3.7B gas line proposed for Ala., Ga., Fla.,

ATLANTA (AP)—A proposal to build a $3.7 billion pipeline system carrying natural gas into Florida is raising complaints from Georgia residents—including media mogul Ted Turner—who say they’d face environmental costs while others get the benefits.

He quoted Gloria Gaines of Albany. He also mentioned Duke’s proposed Citrus County plant without mentioning that Duke has repeatedly said it doesn’t need Sabal Trail. And he didn’t mention LNG export. But he did list quite a few opponents, and he included this:

NextEra, Spectra or their related political committees have donated several thousand dollars to politicians, including Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.

Picking up the AP story that same day were: Continue reading Sabal Trail opposition gets national media attention →

It don’t pass the smell test: FPL’s extra natural gas pipeline –SpectraBusters

October 9, 2014Alabama, EPA, FE, FERC, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, LNGAlabama, British Columbia, Duke Energy, eminent domain, EPA, FE, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, Fracking, FSC, Georgia, Greg Ebel, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, LNG, NextEra Energy, ordinance, Oregon, Paula Gant, permit, public benefit, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tony Clark, Transco, Washington, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

FPL wants federal eminent domain to gouge a hundred-foot right of way for a yard-wide fracked methane pipeline through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, claiming Florida needs new power. That don’t pass the smell test.
http://spectrabusters.org/2014/09/14/we-grow-increasingly-concerned-dougherty-county-commission-to-ferc/

Nationwide electricity demand continues to decline, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reminded the pipeline-permitting Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in April. EPA asked FPL why it couldn’t implement conservation, efficiency, compressed gas storage, or other energy sources. http://spectrabusters.org/2014/04/23/explain-why-the-gas-is-needed-epa-to-ferc/#decreasing-electricity-sales

FPL projected 13% electricity demand increase in its 2014 ten-year plan to the Florida Public Service Commission (FL PSC). A third pipeline would be a 50% increase. Why? http://spectrabusters.org/2014/04/24/fpls-own-projections-dont-support-need-for-a-new-pipeline/

Sabal Trail, the pipeline joint venture of FPL and Spectra Energy of Houston, claims Duke Energy needs Continue reading It don’t pass the smell test: FPL’s extra natural gas pipeline –SpectraBusters →

Fracked gas through Sabal Trail to Japan

October 7, 2014Alabama, Economy, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, LNG, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West VirginiaAlabama, Atlantic Sunrise, Cove Point, Economy, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, LNG, LNG export, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Utica Shale, West VirginiaJohn S. Quarterman

New pipelines are to push fracked methane to export for profit, as fossil fuel industry analysts spell out, specifically describing a path from fracking through Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise and Transco pipelines and Spectra and NextEra’s Sabal Trail pipeline, and then naming Cove Point LNG export.

Chris Pedersen wrote for OilPrice.com 5 October 2014, Utica Boosts U.S. Natural Gas Production To Record Levels,

To find a market for both Marcellus and Utica gas production, existing pipelines are finding creative ways to move growing sources of gas, while new pipelines are proposed to take larger quantities of gas from large interstate pipelines such as the TRANSCO line. Williams’ new “Atlantic Sunrise” pipeline will connect Marcellus and Utica gas from its TRANSCO line. Sabal Trail LLC, a JV of Spectra and NextEra Energy have proposed to build the “Sabal Trail” pipeline, which would connect with TRANSCO. With the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s recent approval of the Cove Point LNG plant, it is not farfetched to imagine India or Japan producing electricity from Utica gas by the end of the decade.

Sure, that paragraph doesn’t say Continue reading Fracked gas through Sabal Trail to Japan →

FERC formal filing process for Sabal Trail

October 7, 2014Alabama, FERC, Florida, Georgia, History, LawAlabama, FERC, Florida, FPL, Georgia, History, John S. Quarterman, Law, Nathan Deal, NextEra Energy, Rick Scott, Robert J. Bentley, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

The end of October is the beginning of the formal FERC filing process, at least if Sabal Trail files October 31st as Andrea Grover has predicted. FERC not only takes comments during a formal filing, which usually lasts about a year, but as that process begins your group also can become an intervenor, which provides additional legal capabilities. Follow the link for details about FERC’s pre-filing and formal filing processes, with graphical and textual timelines.

Commenting with and watching the FERC process, or filing as an intervenor, is a great way to keep up with what’s going on. But depending on FERC alone would be foolish, since the same day Albany and Dougherty County citizens overwhelmingly opposed the pipeline in a public meeting, FERC approved Cove Point LNG export in Maryland, despite massive public opposition.

Fortunately, it’s not just FERC that decides Continue reading FERC formal filing process for Sabal Trail →

Albany Herald breaks GA Gov. Deal Spectra campaign contributions

October 4, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, Ethics, Florida, Georgia, Politics, Tennessee, TexasAlabama, Bill Haslam, conflict of interest, corruption, Dougherty County, Ethics, Florida, Georgia, Houston, John S. Quarterman, Michelle Nunn, Nathan Deal, Politics, Rick Scott, Robert Bentley, Sabal Trail Transmission, scandal, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tennessee, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

The Deal campaign not only accepted Spectra’s PAC money, but then tried to claim (incorrectly) that Michelle Nunn’s campaign for U.S. Senate also accepted Spectra PAC money: so Deal’s campaign took Spectra’s money and then told an untruth about who else might have. The best Spectra’s Andrea Grover could come up with was “economic development”; nevermind Sabal Trail would use out-of-state crews to install its fracked methane pipeline, it would bring almost no jobs to Georgia, and it isn’t even selling gas to Georgia. Neither even tried to implicate Jason Carter’s campaign for governor, because Carter’s campaign finance filings show zero contributions from Spectra’s PAC. The incumbent governors of Alabama and Tennessee, however, did take money from Spectra’s PAC.

Gov. Nathan Deal’s campaign accepts contributions from Spectra Energy: Houston energy giant says its PAC contributes to campaigns of candidates who favor economic development, Continue reading Albany Herald breaks GA Gov. Deal Spectra campaign contributions →