Category Archives: Lowndes County

Likely loss of drilling fluid in limestone under rivers –FL DEP to FERC

Apparently the Florida Department of Environmental Protection complained to FERC that any drilling under our blackwater rivers would leak contaminants into the karst limestone that contains our drinking water Floridan Aquifer:

Update 2015-04-03: Additions now that FERC eLibrary is working, including third point below.

  • Sabal Trail underestimated karst features—additional, more recent data available from agencies including LiDAR, potentiometric surface maps, and cave maps.
  • Highest agency concern is associated with likely loss of drilling fluid associated with HDDs in limestone bedrock including at the Suwannee, Santa Fe, and Withlacoochee rivers.
  • Drilling fluid loss would have an environmental impact; risk and magnitude of impact on groundwater, wells and springs should be based on updated, site-specific information.

Filed with FERC 1 April 2015 as Continue reading Likely loss of drilling fluid in limestone under rivers –FL DEP to FERC

Eminent domain final notice from Sabal Trail

How many landowners has Sabal Trail sent final notices like this?

Update 2015-03-23: Added transcription; see more background here and you can write to the Clerk of Superior Court in Leesburg, GA against a possible summary judgement for surveying eminent domain in a hearing Tuesday morning 11:30 AM March 24th 2015.

300x388 Final request, in Eminent domain final notice from Sabal Trail, by John S. Quarterman, for SpectraBusters.org, 9 March 2015 It is imperative that Sabal Trail begin performing the remaining surveys. Please consider this letter as Sabal Trail’s final request for permission to conduct the surveys on a portion of your property…. Please note that Georgia statute O.C.G.A. 22-3-88, sets forth survey authority as related to this Project which has been affirmed in Georgia Court.

Imperative for a company from Houston to profit by gouging through local land and under our rivers and maybe into our aquifer. Not imperative for those of us who live here.

And the only Georgia court decision I’ve heard of is Continue reading Eminent domain final notice from Sabal Trail

VSU S.A.V.E. protest for fossil fuel divestiture and against Sabal Trail pipeline

The cookout at Valdosta State made the news, with SpectraBusters.org No Pipeline signs.

Winnie Wright, WCTV, 12 February 2015, VSU Students Protest Against Controversial Pipeline,

Adrianna Taylor of SAVE [Students Against Violating the Environment] says, “We’re uniting all of the global divestment groups from across the world and trying to make a message to the fossil fuel industry and to local governments that we want change. We want you guys to divest from fossil fuels and make the switch to alternative fuels.”

Taylor also says the organization hopes the University will pledge not to invest any more money in fossil fuels.

Resolutions against the Sabal Trail pipeline have already been passed by Lowndes County, Valdosta, and five other counties and one other city (Albany) in Georgia and Florida. VSU divesting its fossil fuels would send another signal.

Also, how about Continue reading VSU S.A.V.E. protest for fossil fuel divestiture and against Sabal Trail pipeline

Cookout at VSU for Global Divestment –S.A.V.E.

300x388 Flyer, in Global Divestment Day Cookout, by S.A.V.E., for SpectraBusters.org, 12 February 2015 Fracking for fossil fuels causes new pipelines and LNG export, and without investment none of that will happen.

S.A.V.E. flyer:

Come celebrate with S.A.V.E as we take part in the Global Divestment Day Movement! Come learn about divestment from fossil fuels and how the VSU community can get involved to better our future!!!

Where?VSU Palms Quad
When?Feb. 12, 2015
What time?1pm-3pm

What is Global Divestment Day? Continue reading Cookout at VSU for Global Divestment –S.A.V.E.

No eminent domain for water-threatening unnecessary Sabal Trail pipeline –GA Rep. Dexter Sharper District 177

The state representative for Valdosta and parts of Lowndes County cited their two resolutions and enumerated lack of need for a pipeline, threatening letters from Sabal Trail, alternative routes next to a school, ill effects on business including on forestry and agriculture and private property valuations, potential sinkholes due to drilling under the Withlacoochee River, including on the preferred route, or anywhere in the fragile karst limestone containing the Floridan Aquifer, plus Spectra Energy’s own SEC filings say it doesn’t have insurance to cover the kinds of safety problems in Spectra’s own history nor those pointed out by Southern Natural Gas Company. Dexter Sharper noted local evidence that solar power is cheaper and safer, and echoed the Lowndes County Democratic Party in writing:

“…we have a moral obligation to leave our children and grandchildren with an earth as safe, beautiful, and majestic as the one bequeathed to us by our parents and grandparents.”

For all these reasons, on behalf of my constituents and the citizens of Lowndes County and the state of Georgia, I oppose the Sabal Trail pipeline anywhere in the County of Lowndes or the State of Georgia.

I urge that FERC reject any permit for the Sabal Trail pipeline, or at the very least move it entirely out of the State of Georgia.

Filed 7 January 2015 with FERC as Accession Number: 20150107-5100, “Comment of Dexter Sharper, Georgia State Representative, District 177, under CP15-17.” Continue reading No eminent domain for water-threatening unnecessary Sabal Trail pipeline –GA Rep. Dexter Sharper District 177

Williston fire and police station relocated due to sinkhole: Sabal Trail wants pipeline through there

In a county already famous for sinkholes, the fire and police department just had to move off of a sinkhole. Sabal Trail wants to poke a yard-wide pipeline on a hundred-foot right of way right through that area, and under rivers, some of which already leak underground. How about solar power for the Sunshine State instead?

GTN News, 11 July 2014, Williston Has A New Sinkhole – UNDER the Police Dept. and Fire Station,

A new sinkhole in Williston, but it’s not forming just anywhere. It’s underneath the police station and fire department. GTN’s Hailey Holloway has more on the problem and what the city is trying to do to prevent a disaster.

Heavy rain getting into the Florida soil is causing the building to shift and crack and buckle.

“Unless by the grace of God it rains everywhere but Williston, we’re going to have issues.”

The problems started Continue reading Williston fire and police station relocated due to sinkhole: Sabal Trail wants pipeline through there

FERC filing deadline 24 December 2014 –VDT

The newspaper of record in the county seat of the most populous county along the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline path between Auburn and Gainesville reminds everyone of the Christmas Eve filing deadline.

Joe Adgie, Valdosta Daily Times, 19 December 2014, Deadline nears for pipeline comments,

Residents wanting to file comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission about the Sabal Trail pipeline have until Dec. 24 to do so….

Continue reading FERC filing deadline 24 December 2014 –VDT

Valdosta resolution against Sabal Trail filed with FERC

The mayor of Valdosta has filed with FERC a resolution against Sabal Trail, in support of the resolution by Lowndes County, the most populous county on any of the proposed pipeline paths in Georgia. 300x400 Whereas, in Valdosta Draft Resolution Against Sabal Trail Pipeline, by Valdosta City Council, 10 December 2014 In addition to echoing Lowndes County’s concerns about property rights, safety of school children, lack of benefit to the state of Georgia, the availability of a path to completely bypass Georgia, and public opposition, Valdosta also added a WHEREAS about the Floridan Aquifer, the source of almost all of our drinking water in south Georgia and Florida. See also LAKE videos of Valdosta and Lowndes County passing those resolutions.

Filed with FERC today 17 December 2014, Accession Number: 20141217-5076, “Comment of John Gayle in Docket(s)/Project(s) CP15-17-000 Submission Date: 12/17/2014”, Continue reading Valdosta resolution against Sabal Trail filed with FERC

Thomas County on alternate pipeline route –Thomasville Times

Sabal Trail’s Andrea Grover tries to put Thomas County back to sleep, but local resident Alton Burns has waked it up.

Patti Dozier, Thomasville Times, 15 December 2014, Thomas County on alternate pipeline route,

Thomas County is not on a proposed natural gas pipeline traversing expanses of Florida, Georgia and Alabama, but it is on two alternate routes.

Thomas County is not on the proposed route submitted by Sabal Trail Transmission to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in late November for consideration of approval.

Thomas County commissioners were not aware of the pipeline until lifelong Thomas County resident Alton Paul Burns addressed the board recently with concerns.

The earth does not belong to us, Burns told commissioners, adding Continue reading Thomas County on alternate pipeline route –Thomasville Times

Not one, but two resolutions proposed for next week against Sabal Trail

Tuesday, Lowndes County will finally vote on the resolution they already sent to FERC.

That same day, 9 December 2014, the Valdosta City Council will consider a resolution in support of Lowndes County’s opposition to the Sabal Trail pipeline, and quite likely the Valdosta City Council will vote on their resolution Thursday 11 December 2014.

This is excellent news to close the week in which Moultrie’s Mayor said on WCTV Moultrie, the county seat of Colquitt County, one of the two counties Sabal Trail said was one the two “as having the greatest potential to need additional gas supplies in the future”, that Moultrie wasn’t asked about Sabal Trail’s agreement with the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia (MGAG). This week in which the Valdosta Daily Times quoted Spectra’s Andrea Grover backtracking on eminent domain.

A week now closed with two resolutions proposed for voting next week against Sabal Trail.

-jsq