Category Archives: Hazards

Stop this Pipeline –Columbia Paper not buying the script

September 27, 2014Columbia County, Compressor, Economy, Explosion, FERC, Fracking, Law, Leak, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, SafetyColumbia County, compressor, Constitution Pipeline, Economy, explosion, FERC, FPL, Fracking, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, Law, leak, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tennesee Gas PipelineJohn S. Quarterman

Update 28 Sep 2014: With details from Bill Huston. The main point remains:

“Supporting the pipeline proposal as it stands amounts to surrendering our future to the petroleum industry.” That about sums it up, both for Kinder Morgan’s ~~Constition Pipeline~~ Northeast Direct project (NED) through Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts, and for Spectra and FPL’s Sabal Trail pipeline through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

Parry Teasdale wrote for The Columbia Paper of Ghent, NY 25 September 2014, EDITORIAL: Stop this pipeline,

The proposed pipeline would reportedly run beneath 55 private properties in Columbia County if it’s approved by federal regulators. The property owners would have to grant rights of way to the company. Neither the towns nor the county could intervene.

The editorial doesn’t really buy that last: it laster asks local governments to intervene.

Opponents say that property values along and nearby Continue reading Stop this Pipeline –Columbia Paper not buying the script →

Departing PHMSA Administrator has let regulated companies determine testing as LNG exports increase

September 25, 2014Economy, Explosion, FE, FERC, Fracking, Hazards, Leak, LNG, New York, PHMSA, SafetyCynthia Quarterman, Economy, explosion, FE, FERC, Fracking, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, leak, LNG, New York, PHMSA, Safety, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

PHMSA Administrator Rather than stopping leaks and explosions, Cynthia L. Quarterman (no relation) seems to spend a lot of time testifying before Congress, see for example these CSPAN videos. Maybe now that “market forces” are shifting away from fossil fuels, instead of chasing the white whale of pipelines for fracked methane to LNG export, we can get a new PHMSA Administrator who will do something about the lax safety of the pipelines we’ve got while we get on with shifting to sun, wind, and water power.

James F. Bowe, Jr. and Sara E. Peters wrote for Energy Newsletter, March 2014, Congress Probes Crude by Rail Safety Developments; Voluntary Industry-Regulator Agreement Addresses Safety Concerns, Continue reading Departing PHMSA Administrator has let regulated companies determine testing as LNG exports increase →

Rockefeller Brothers Fund divesting from coal and tar sands, but not from natural gas

September 25, 2014Climate Change, Economy, Environment, Fracking, History, SolarDesmond Tutu, Divest-Invest, Economy, Fracking, John D. Rockefeller, John S. Quarterman, natural gas, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, solar, SpectraBusters, Standard Oil, Stephen Heintz, Tar Sands, whale oilJohn S. Quarterman

It’s indeed historic when heirs of John D. Rockefeller, the man whose Standard Oil more than any other company put the world on its current fossil-fuel-burning climate-changing path decide to divest from coal and tar sands. But read their actual statement: they’re not divesting from natural gas, or fracking, or even from oil. Yet.

Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) PR 22 September 2014 Fund Announces Plans to Divest from Fossil Fuels,

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has been working to better align its endowed assets with its mission since 2010, when the board of trustees approved a commitment of up to 10 percent of the endowment to investments consistent with the foundation’s Sustainable Development program goals. Stephen Heintz, president of the Fund, announced its decision to divest from fossil fuels at a press conference in New York City on September 22, 2014, one day before world leaders convene at the UN Climate Summit. The Fund has begun a two-step process to divest from investments in fossil fuels, first focusing on limiting its exposure to coal and tar sands, with a goal to reduce these investments to less than one percent of the total portfolio by the end of 2014. The Fund is also analyzing in detail its remaining fossil fuel exposure and will develop a plan for further divestment as quickly as is prudent over the next few years.

There’s nothing about this continued investment in fracked methane in the New York Times story or in any of the others I’ve found. But RBF’s own PR is pretty clear.

That PR and a longer statement refer us to Continue reading Rockefeller Brothers Fund divesting from coal and tar sands, but not from natural gas →

A methane pipeline company sues a newspaper about publishing open records

September 18, 2014Alabama, FERC, Jefferson County, Law, PHMSA, SafetyAL PSC, Alabama, Alabama Gas Co, Alabama Public Service Commission, Alagasco, DIMP, Distribution Integrity Management Plan, First Amendment, freedom of the press, Jefferson County, John S. Quarterman, Law, Montgomery Advertiser, open records, PHMSA, prior restraint, public records, Safety, SpectraBusters, Tom Clifford, USA TodayJohn S. Quarterman

How desperate is the pipeline industry getting? One has gone so far as to demand a court grant it veto power over public open records.

Kala Kachmar, Montgomery Advertiser, 17 September 2014, Alagasco sues Advertiser to stop use of pipe safety plan,

Alabama Gas Corporation has taken legal action to attempt to stop the Montgomery Advertiser from publishing or writing about the company’s document that outlines a plan to ensure the safety of gas pipes.

The document, Alagasco’s Distribution Integrity Management Plan (DIMP), was obtained in June through a public records request to the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC), which oversees the state’s utilities.

All gas companies are required by the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to file a plan that assures pipeline safety and integrity with the state entity that oversees utility companies.

The regulation requires Continue reading A methane pipeline company sues a newspaper about publishing open records →

Outrage over noise and health effects of Sabal Trail pipeline in Albany, GA

September 16, 2014Compressor, Dougherty County, Franklin County, Georgia, Health, Kentucky, NoiseAlbany, Bluegrass Pipeline, compressor, Dougherty County, eminent domain, enemy, Georgia, Health, Jeff Sinyard, Jennifer Maloney, Nancy] Barclay, noise, Radium Springs, Sabal Trail Transmission, Sonya Andralliski, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, terrorism, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Noise, land-use, health, and a planned joint meeting with county and city Commissions of Dougherty County and Albany. But will they actually pass an ordinance with legal effect? How about get a judge to rule that the pipeline company is not acting in public service for Georgia and therefore cannot use eminent domain like a judge in Kentucky did?

Franklin White wrote for WFXL 15 September 2014, Residents voice health concerns about possible pipeline.

It was a packed house Monday as Dougherty County residents asked the Dougherty County Commission to formulate a noise ordinance.

Christian McKinney wrote for WALB 15 September 2014, Dougherty Co. to meet, discuss controversial Sabal pipeline, Continue reading Outrage over noise and health effects of Sabal Trail pipeline in Albany, GA →

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 →

Is the Sabal Trail pipeline necessary? –Lori McCraney

September 12, 2014FERC, Hamilton County, Hazards, Law, Safety, Suwannee County, WaterFERC, Hamilton County, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lori McCraney, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee Alliance for Sustainable Growth, Suwannee County, Suwannee Democrat, Suwannee River, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Lori McCraney of  Suwannee Alliance for Sustainable Growth wrote in the Suwannee Democrat 11 September 2014, Guest commentary — Is the Sabal Trail pipeline necessary?

I am pleased that the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners has issued a resolution challenging the location of the Sabal Trail pipeline in the vicinity of the Withlacoochee River. Hamilton County resident Chris Mericle did an excellent job of explaining the risks of locating the pipeline in such fragile karst terrain. Sable Trails LLC quickly responded by saying that it will move the crossing to the west, possibly crossing the Suwannee River somewhere near the Suwannee River State Park.

The same problems still exist with tunneling under the Withlacoochee River in Lowndes County, Georgia and tunneling under the Suwannee River at two locations in Suwannee County. As Mr. Mericle explained about drilling under our rivers, “The horizontal directional drilling could intersect spring conduits, affect spring well flows, and ultimately river base flow. Grouting in this cavernous, Continue reading Is the Sabal Trail pipeline necessary? –Lori McCraney →

Citizens meet against Spectra’s Algonquin pipeline

September 10, 2014Connecticut, Economy, FERC, Massachusetts, New York, Putnam County, Safety, WestchesterAIM, Algonquin Incremental Market, Caithness II, Concerned Peekskill Residents, Connecticut, CPR, Economy, FERC, John S. Quarterman, Long Island, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, PSEG, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, SAPE, Searsmont, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Steckman Ridge, Stop the Algonquin Pipeline ExpansionJohn S. Quarterman

Safety, property values, insurance, schools: same concerns about Spectra’s Algonquin pipeline as about its Sabal Trail pipeline. Plus Algonquin runs by the safety-paper-forging Indian Point nuke! Nothing to worry about, says Spectra’s Marylee Hanley, same as she said about that compressor leak at Steckman Ridge, and same as Spectra said about Searsmont, Maine, where residents say they were lied to. New York residents aren’t buying that; they don’t want their property and lives risked for LNG export profit. They already had 50 people in a meeting in July, and they’re doing more. And FERC has actually denied a Spectra Algonquin pipeline permit before; time to do it again!

Lanning Taliaferro wrote for Ossining-Croton-on-Hudson Patch 25 August 2014, Opponents Set Sept. 3, 4, 13 Info Sessions on Natural Gas Pipeline Project,

Residents and elected officials throughout Westchester and Putnam Continue reading Citizens meet against Spectra’s Algonquin pipeline →

Nova Scotia to ban fracking

September 4, 2014Ethics, Fracking, New Brunswick, Nova ScotiaAndrew Young, Ethics, Fracking, Government, John S. Quarterman, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Nova Scotia is banning fracking. Onshore, but not offshore, and not pipelines. But at least the Nova Scotia government listened to environmentalists, the grassroots, and rural people about that much. Will our local and state governments listen about the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline?

Bruce Erskine wrote for The Herald Business 3 September 2014, Nova Scotia to ban fracking, Continue reading Nova Scotia to ban fracking →

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 →