Category Archives: Georgia

FERC sides with Sabal Trail in DEIS: Surprise!

September 14, 2015Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Suwannee County, WaterAir, Albany, Beyond Extreme Energy, BXE, Carlton Fletcher, DEIS, Department of Environmental Protection, Dinorah Hall, Dougherty County, Draft Environmental Impact Statement, environment, fast, FERC, FL-DEP, Georgia, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, John Trallo, Pope Francis, Sane Energy Project, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Anybody who thought FERC would do a real Draft Environmental Impact Statement is disappointed. But they shouldn’t be surprised: FERC, 100% funded by the industries they “regulate”, is a rubberstamp machine. But that’s no reason to give up. It’s reason to stand up, and take advantage of many more opportunities to stop the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail pipeline and get on with renewable solar and wind power.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 13 September 2015, FERC Sabal Trail ruling comes amidst protest: Group holds fasting vigil outside federal agency’s offices,

ALBANY — Even as a group started a fast in front of the agency’s Washington, D.C., offices and questions arose in Florida over the safety record of Spectra Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission made it clear this week that it had no intention of standing in the way of construction of the proposed Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Local opponents Continue reading FERC sides with Sabal Trail in DEIS: Surprise! →

Meeting in Savannah about Elba Island LNG

September 14, 2015Chatham County, Georgia, LNGChatham County, Coastal Group, Elba Island, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Sierra Club, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Oppose one fossil fuel boondoggle; oppose them all. KMI also has applied for a FERC permit to build a pipeline from Suwannee County, FL to Jacksonville, which is gearing up for LNG export. That KMI application says Sabal Trail can connect if it wants to.

Coastal Group of the Georgia Sierra Club, on facebook, today, ATTEND THIS PUBLIC MEETING IF YOU CAN!

This will be our opportunity learn about Texas energy giant Kinder Morgan’s disaster plan for the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal at Elba Island. If permitted to come online, 4 million metric tons of LNG would be processed by, and exported from, the facility annually—in close proximity to densely populated neighborhoods at the mouth of Savannah’s port. A worst-case event would be extremely destructive to lives, property, and the environment.

DATE: Wednesday, September 16, 10:00AM
LOCATION: Savannah Civic Center, 301 W Oglethorpe Ave, Savannah, GA 31401
http://lepc.com/events/september-2015-lepc-meeting/

-jsq

FERC meetings for Draft Environmental Impact Statement 28 Sep 2015 – 8 Oct 2015

September 5, 2015Alabama, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazardsagenda, Alabama, DEIS, Draft Environmental Impact Statement, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Hazards, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Meetings, Nathan Deal, need, public benefit, Sabal Trail Transmission, schedule, SpectraBusters, STT, Transco, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Two weeks for all the public meetings, rushing to make the 20 November 2015 final EIS notice date, for a final decision 18 February 2016.

The Draft EIS released Friday 4 September 2015 is very long, but the most basic question is very short: why is FERC rushing to rubberstamp the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail pipeline and its fracked methane siblings Hillabee Transco and FSC when there’s neither need nor public benefit?

The Sunshine State should go straight to solar power.

If you don’t want any of these pipelines, you can send in your comments both to FERC and to state and local agencies and elected officials in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama, and show up at these FERC meetings to protest. You can also still file a motion to intervene with FERC. And don’t forget to call Georgia Gov. Deal.

Filed with FERC 4 September 2015 as Accession Number: 20150904-3011, “Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Southeast Market Pipelines Project re Florida Southeast Connection, LLC et al under CP14-554 et al.” Continue reading FERC meetings for Draft Environmental Impact Statement 28 Sep 2015 – 8 Oct 2015 →

EPD will hold a public hearing about Sabal Trail compressor air quality permit

August 20, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Georgia, Hazards, WaterAir, Albany, comment period, compressor, Dougherty County, EPD, Eric Cornwell, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, public hearing, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

There will be another public comment period and a public hearing on Sabal Trail’s latest air quality permit application, said Eric Cornwell of GA-EPD just now by telephone. He also said:

“So far, nobody seems to want this thing. Usually somebody is for jobs or taxes, but not this time. One of the first times I’ve run into a situation where neither the residents nor the county officials want it.”

I mentioned that more than a year ago in Gilchrist County, Florida, Sabal Trail had admitted they had already Continue reading EPD will hold a public hearing about Sabal Trail compressor air quality permit →

New sinkhole in Lowndes County terrain Sabal Trail wants to gouge through

August 6, 2015Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Lowndes County, Solar, WaterAct of God, Assumption Parish, drinking water, FGT, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, Floridan Aquifer, Force Majeure, fragile, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, karst, limestone, Louisiana, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Shiloh Road, sinkhole, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Twice in five years a sinkhole big enough to risk rerouting a road appears in Lowndes County, Georgia, in the same fragile karst limestone Valdosta limesink terrain Sabal Trail proposes to gouge through What if a sinkhole drops under that pipeline, and, like FGT in 2013, Sabal Trail declares force majeure and doesn’t pay?

See On the LAKE Front, 2015-08-06, County and news media digging deeper on Shiloh sinkhole story, Continue reading New sinkhole in Lowndes County terrain Sabal Trail wants to gouge through →

Building the pipeline would endanger the quality of the ecosystem –Rosanne Lewis

August 6, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Georgia, Treescompressor, coyote, deer, Department of Natural Resources, Dougherty County, environment, FERC, GA DNR, Georgia, gopher tortoise, John S. Quarterman, pileated woodpeckers, quail, SpectraBusters, Trees, turkey, wetlandsJohn S. Quarterman

Will Spectra sue to avoid protecting gopher tortoises like it challenged a fine for not protecting the western toad? Here’s a comment on We are outraged…:

As a resident of Dougherty county, Georgia, I feel it imperative that I voice my opposition to the proposed path of the Sabal pipeline through the property behind my home. The land where the proposed pipeline is to be located is home to several endangered species, as well as several areas of wetlands. In walking the property during the winter months, we have seen gopher tortoises, Continue reading Building the pipeline would endanger the quality of the ecosystem –Rosanne Lewis →

We are outraged about a proposed gas pipeline cutting through our property!! –Sarah Phillips to GA-DNR

August 5, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, Georgia, Treesair quality permit, church, compressor, deer, Department of Natural Resources, Dougherty County, ducks, Education, environment, GA DNR, Georgia, gopher tortoises, habitat, John S. Quarterman, pileated woodpeckers, ponds, Religion, school, SpectraBusters, stewards, treasure, Trees, wetlands, wild turkeyJohn S. Quarterman

Yes, how about a public hearing run by GA-DNR where Sabal Trail actually has to answer questions in public? GA-DNR may not publish comments about that proposed Sabal Trail air quality permit, deadline August 7th, but we asked for citizens to copy SpectraBusters for publication, and this one did.

From: Sarah Phillips
Date: August 4, 2015 at 2:26:52 PM EDT
To: eric.cornwell@gadnr.org
Subject: Application #23350
Mr. Cornwell, I am a resident of Dougherty County, and we own the land behind our house through which Sabal Trail proposes to clearcut a wide swath to run their natural gas pipeline. These 800 acres are a habitat for several gopher tortoises, a few pileated woodpeckers, wild turkey, ducks and deer. We have wetlands and wet weather ponds. We are good stewards of this land, and we treasure it. We are outraged about a proposed gas pipeline cutting through our property!!

Dougherty County is the only Continue reading We are outraged about a proposed gas pipeline cutting through our property!! –Sarah Phillips to GA-DNR →

Albany, GA attorney missing the point about ordinance against pipelines

August 5, 2015Dougherty County, Fracking, Georgia, Law, New York, PennsylvaniaAlbany, Dougherty County, Fracking, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, New York, Pennsylvania, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

County attorneys are paid to be cautious. County and city Commissioners are elected to represent the people. Which will Albany and Dougherty County listen to about unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous pipelines like Sabal Trail?

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 4 August 2014, LOCAL GOVERNMENT 101: Albany’s municipal government based on charter, codes,

Dougherty County officials, who represent residents outside the city limits, say municipalities like Albany have more governmental flexibility in that they are not completely bound by state mandates. But Albany’s city attorney says that is not exactly accurate.

“The state has the authority to preempt any local laws other than zoning,” Nathan Davis says. “If state law ‘moves into an area’ — such as the fireworks law that went into effect in July — municipalities must have a local ordinance that matches the state law.

“There has been in our community a call by some to create an ordinance that would impact the ultimate decision of whether that (Sabal Trail Transmission) pipeline is allowed Continue reading Albany, GA attorney missing the point about ordinance against pipelines →

Call to Action by State Representative Darrel Bush Ealum

August 1, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, GeorgiaAlbany, compressor, Darrel Bush Ealum, Dougherty County, Economy, environment, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Nathan Deal, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Now’s the time to ask your state legislators to help Rep. Ealum oppose Sabal Trail’s proposed fracked methane pipeline. Here’s a handy table of all the Georgia state House and Senate members from the counties along the proposed pipeline path.

You may want to mention the August 7th deadline for comments to GA-EPD about the proposed Albany compressor station.

And don’t forget to call Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and sign the petition to him, and you can still ecomment to FERC.

Urgent Alert

Call to Action by State Representative Darrel Bush Ealum (PDF)

Darrel Bush Ealum, State Representative, Georgia House District 153 met with Governor Deal to discuss the serious environmental and cumulative impact that the proposed SABAL Trail transmission line and compressor station will have on the posed nine counties it will pass through in Georgia.

Governor Deal was Continue reading Call to Action by State Representative Darrel Bush Ealum →

August 7th deadline to comment to GA-EPD about Sabal Trail Albany compressor station

August 1, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, GeorgiaAir Protection Branch, Air Quality Permits, Albany Compressor Station, compressor, Department of Natural Resources, Dougherty County, GA DNR, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Get your comments in ASAP to GA-EDP about the proposed Sabal Trail Albany compressor station air quality permit: the deadline is Friday August 7th. As Roger Marietta suggested, you can ask for a public hearing, as well.

That’s the same date WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. will be sending a petition for a hearing to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection about FL-DEP’s intent to issue a permit for Sabal Trail to gouge through Florida waters, including boring under the Suwannee, Santa Fe, and Withlacoochee (central) Rivers. WWALS got an extension until that date. Anyone who wants to help with that, please contact wwalswatershed@gmail.com.

Don’t forget to call Georgia Governor Deal and sign the petition to him.

EPD Public Advisory for the Week of July 6, 2015 (PA0715-2), Continue reading August 7th deadline to comment to GA-EPD about Sabal Trail Albany compressor station →