Category Archives: Georgia

We grow increasingly concerned –Dougherty County Commission to FERC

September 14, 2014Compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Georgia, Health, Law, Safetycompressor, Dinorah Hall, Dougherty County, Dougherty County Commission, Down Home Plantation, FERC, Georgia, Health, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

All members of the Dougherty County Commission signed a letter saying “we grow increasingly concerned” that FERC and Sabal Trail aren’t listening to concerns of Dougherty County citizens. And that was after one August meeting of citizens discussing and opposing that fracked methane pipeline; Dougherty County citizens have held at least four such meetings by now. Maybe the Dougherty County Commission would like to take legal action by passing a land-use ordinance regulating pipelines. many other County Commissions that are going to be affected by And maybe the Alternative 1, Alternative 2, or Alternative 3 if the pipeline gets moved from its current proposed path might want to also take action.

Here are images of the pages the Dougherty County Commission sent to FERC 5 September 2014, starting with the two pages of the Commission’s letter dated 25 August 2014, three pages of a stakeholder writeup signed by Dinorah Hall, two pages not depicted that were broken TIFFs, but presumably contained the 13 August 2014 Albany Herald story about the South Dougherty League meeting, and a Limited Warrantee Deed dated 24 May 2014 transferring 79.184 acres from Down Home Plantation LLC to Sabal Trail Transmission LLC, which. the Dougherty County Commission guesses is for a compressor station.

It’s not like that land transfer is a secret. Searching for Sabal Trail in Continue reading We grow increasingly concerned –Dougherty County Commission to FERC →

Fourth Dougherty County meeting against Sabal Trail pipeline

September 7, 2014Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Georgiacompressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Flint Riverkeeper, Georgia, Gordon Rogers, Jennifer Maloney, John S. Quarterman, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

A resident who lives next to the proposed compressor station site, and Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper, were among those seen in this meeting and not in previous Dougherty County meetings.

Courtney Highfield wrote for WFXL 5 September 2014, Residents concerned about Sabal Trail pipeline,

About a year ago is when the county first learned Sabal Trail’s interest in bringing a natural gas pipeline to the county. There have been several meetings since then to get the community involved.

County commissioners, former commissioners, and other officials say the pipeline won’t bring any jobs or money to the area and they warned of the noise and annoyance it will cause.

Jennifer Maloney is a resident who spoke out and said Continue reading Fourth Dougherty County meeting against Sabal Trail pipeline →

Protest at Sabal Trail Pipeline Valdosta office

September 5, 2014Georgia, Lowndes CountyGeorgia, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Michael Noll, office, protest, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, ValdostaJohn S. Quarterman

Dr. Michael Noll posted in a facebook event:

Join us at the corner of Park Avenue and Patterson Street for a protest against Sabal Trail Pipeline this Tuesday, September 9, 4-5 pm! (You can find parking in the back of the building.)

He added: Continue reading Protest at Sabal Trail Pipeline Valdosta office →

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 →

Explain karst, sinkholes, discrepencies, and routes around Albany and the Withlacoochee River –FERC to Sabal Trail

August 27, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Lowndes County, Tift CountyAlabama, Albany, Dougherty County, FGT, Florida, Georgia, Greenlaw, Hamilton County, Hillabee Alternative, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, SpectraBusters, Tift County, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

FERC just directed Sabal Trail to actually address problems raised by citizens and local government agencies, plus numerous discrepencies FERC itself detected. Opposition to this unnecessary and hazardous fracked methane pipeline is having effects, even with rubberstamping FERC. But watch out Tifton, Valdosta, Thomasville, and The Villages! You’re now on possible routes.

Sabal Trail is to provide details for Greenlaw’s route-around-Albany proposals on behalf of Sierra Club and others Valdosta, you’re back in two proposed routes, the the one you saw last summer, plus one down I-75 that would go right past Lowndes High School and also past The Villages in sinkhole-prone Sumter County, Florida. Tifton, you’re not safe; look at that Hillabee route. Thomasville watch out: you’re on a new proposed route.

Sabal Trail is to provide alternatives to minimize effects on or completely avoid the Withlacoochee River, and this is even before the Hamilton County Commission’s resolution against the pipeline gets to FERC.

FERC’s letter is peppered with requirements to cooperate with federal, state, and local agencies especially including about land use and environmental requirements and land approvals.

It explicitly says that all surveys Continue reading Explain karst, sinkholes, discrepencies, and routes around Albany and the Withlacoochee River –FERC to Sabal Trail →

State and local permitting for Sabal Trail pipeline

August 24, 2014Alabama, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Georgia, Jefferson County, Law, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, PHMSA, WaterAlabama, FERC, FL PSC, FL-DEP, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, FSC, GA EPD, GA PSC, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, permit, Sabal Trail Transmission, Santa Fe River, Southeast Market Pipelines Project, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee River, Suwannee River Water Management District, Williams Company, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

The Florida Public Service Commission has a special say in the Southeast Market Pipelines Project because the Florida Southeast Connection (FSC) leg of this pipeline is completely inside Florida and completely owned by FPL, a Florida regulated electric utility. And Florida has a say because the entire excuse for the three-part Transco -> Sabal Trail -> FSC project is that supposedly Florida needs the power (it doesn’t, but that’s the excuse). FPL is getting so desperate for public acceptance of this boondoggle they pressed their own CEO, Eric Silagy, into attempting to rebut Our Santa Fe River’s latest entry in the op-ed debate.

Sabal Trail and FERC would like everyone to believe state regulators have no say, but that’s just not true. It’s not even clear GA PSC has no say, considering that Continue reading State and local permitting for Sabal Trail pipeline →

Radium Springs against Sabal Trail pipeline in Dougherty County

August 22, 2014Dougherty County, Economy, Georgia, Hazards, Safety, WaterDougherty County, Economy, Flint River, Georgia, Gloria Gaines, Government, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Radium Springs, Safety, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Another neighborhood in Dougherty County discovers it doesn’t like the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline, including because it would further endanger the already threatened Flint River.

Sharon Wiggins wrote for WALB 19 August 2014, Dougherty County residents speak out against proposed pipeline,

Members of the Radium Springs community met Tuesday night to express their concerns about the proposed route of the Sabal pipeline project. The nearly 500 mile pipeline begins in Alabama, stretches through Georgia and ends in Florida. Those against it are concerned about the human, economic and environmental impacts it could have.

“We know that the Flint River is one of the 10 most endangered rivers in the United States,” said Gloria Gaines, Former Dougherty County Commissioner.”They’re concerned about the impacts that it could have on the ability to farm, to hunt, to fish, to recreate.”
Continue reading Radium Springs against Sabal Trail pipeline in Dougherty County →

Dougherty County fighting Sabal Trail pipeline

August 13, 2014Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Explosion, Georgia, Hazards, Leakcompressor, Dinorah Hall, Dougherty County, Economy, explosion, Georgia, Gloria Gaines, Hazards, John Hayes, John S. Quarterman, leak, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

At that South Dougherty League meeting yesterday, Gloria Gaines summed up Sabal Trail’s proposed compressor station near Albany, GA: “This proposal should vehemently be challenged; it should be vehemently opposed.”

Aaryn Valenzuela reported for WALB TV yesterday, Proposed Sabal Trail pipeline and compressor station raises concerns, Continue reading Dougherty County fighting Sabal Trail pipeline →

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 →

South Dougherty League Sabal Trail pipeline meeting today

August 12, 2014Alabama, Compressor, Dougherty County, Explosion, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Law, TexasAlabama, compressor, Dougherty County, eminent domain, Exonomy, explosion, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, South Dougherty Community League, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

Not just for Ted Turner, former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham, and Greenlaw anymore: now the whole neighborhood south of Albany is objecting to that fracked methane pipeline and its compressor station. Plus the hundred people who showed up at the FERC Scoping Meeting 4 March 2014, and more who went to U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop’s (GA-02) listening session 17 April 2014. When Spectra’s Andrea Grover bragged in op-eds about the 50 public meetings, she forgot to mention that the public response was overwhelmingly against Spectra’s pipeline, and that opposition is growing.

Melody Briscoe wrote for WALB TV 9 August 2014, Meeting over concern of pipeline and compressor, Continue reading South Dougherty League Sabal Trail pipeline meeting today →