Category Archives: Hazards

The outreach programs to date have been ineffectual –Carol Singletary

February 9, 2014Environment, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, Health, Lowndes County, SafetyCarol Singletary, FERC, Georgia, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Filed with FERC 12 December 2013:

November 18, 2013
4871 Gary Lane
Valdosta, GA 31601
P. Martin Teague
Associate General Counsel
Sabal Trail Transmissions, LLC
2701 North Rocky Point Dr.
Suite 1050
Tampa, FL 33607
Dear Mr. Teague,
I would like to thank you for the time you spent with me this morning regarding my concerns about the proposed natural gas pipeline FERC docket filing PF14-1.

The information that I am requesting is as follows:
Continue reading The outreach programs to date have been ineffectual –Carol Singletary →

I adamantly oppose this proposed pipeline –Thomas Lovett to FERC

February 9, 2014Brooks County, Economy, Environment, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, Safety, Trees, Wateraquifer, Brooks County, church, Economy, environment, FERC, Floridan Aquifer, Georgia, Hazards, house, John S. Quarterman, Quitman, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Thomas Lovett, Trees, Water, wetlandsJohn S. Quarterman

Filed with FERC 1 December 2013:

Thomas Lovett, Quitman, GA.
December 1, 2013

Thomas D. Lovett
250 Monument Church Road
Quitman, GA 31643
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20426
Re: FERC Docket No. PF-14-1
Dear FERC,

As a Brooks County, Georgia landowner who would be directly affected by Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC’s proposed pipeline, I adamantly oppose this proposed pipeline, for the reasons stated below.

The 36-inch pipeline/easement would cut a path approximately 5,480 feet long and 100 feet wide across our family farm, located at 250 Monument Church Road, Quitman, Georgia, 31643. Our family farm has been continuously owned by my family for more than 100 years. I live on the farm with my wife and two boys.

The pipeline, if allowed, would be approximately 680 feet directly behind our residence. It would be approximately 790 feet from nearby Morning Star Church Continue reading I adamantly oppose this proposed pipeline –Thomas Lovett to FERC →

Easement completely destroys any further use of this property –David C. Watkins, III to FERC

February 9, 2014FERC, Georgia, Hazards, Lowndes County, SafetyFERC, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Southern Natural Gas, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Filed with FERC 16 November 2013:

David C. Watkins, III, Valdosta, GA.

I am submitting my opposition to this pipeline. I own 2.09 acres of land in Lowndes County Ga. that was passed down from my Grandfather to my Father who then passed it down to me. We built our home on the north end of this lot and there is enough land left below the existing SONAT pipeline to build another home for our grandchildren or possibly a rental home for future supplemental income. There is already a septic tank and water supply line there for future use. Granting Sabal Trail/ Spectra an easement completely destroys any further use of this property. I am not interested in receiving fair market value for this strip of land because it will be a minimal amount but will not allow me to put any structure on this property.

Also I am very concerned about potential safety hazards. They do not have a good safety record. Also the first interaction that I had with them I was misled or lied to. I received a form requesting permission to come on my property for surveying. I called the contact number on the form to ask if they would be using the existing SONAT easement and was told “Absolutely”. Assuming that this was true I signed the form and sent it back in. Later I am told by the surveyors that they cannot share easements. On Monday 11/18/2013 I will be sending a form VIA registered mail that they are not to enter my property again.

I just do not understand why if they cannot use the existing easement why not go another route instead of taking property from the same property owners twice.

Respectfully Yours,
D.C. Watkins III

How to comment with FERC.

-jsq

Question the Sabal Trail pipeline in Osceola County 2014-02-10

February 6, 2014Economy, Environment, FERC, Florida, Hazards, Law, Osceola County, Solarconservation, Duke Energy, EAOAU, Economy, efficiency, environment, Environmental Awareness Organization of Auburn University, EPA, FERC, Florida, Florida Power & Light, FPL, Hazards, Kissimmee, Law, Monica Martin, Occupy the Pipeline, Osceola County, PHMSA, profit, rate hike, S.A.V.E., Sabal Trail Transmission, Sane Energy Project: Shale Property Rights, Sierra Club, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Stop the Pipeline, Students Against Violating the Environment, WACE, Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Update: 10 Feb 2014: Watch it online or go to one of several other upcoming county commission meetings.

PDF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Valdosta, 6 February 2014 — Local landowner Monica Martin will speak to the Osceola County Commission about the proposed Sabal Trail methane gas pipeline and its effects on the aquifer, native wildlife, and the landscape, plus property values and property rights. Other local citizens may also speak in the same "Hear the Audience" section (turn in a "Request to Speak" form before the meeting). Anyone from anywhere can come listen, or protest against the pipeline outside.

When: 1:30 PM
Monday, February 10 th 2014

Where: Administration Building 4 th Floor
One Courthouse Square
Kissimmee, Florida 34741
407-742-2000

Why: Spectra Energy, which had compressor station leaks in Maine last month and in Pennsylvania last year, plus multiple fines by Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for corrosion and leaks, and a record $15 million EPA fine for PCB contamination, proposes a hundred-foot-wide gash through our lands for their huge 36 inch Sabal Trail gas pipeline from Alabama through Georgia to feed Florida Power and Light (FPL) and Duke Energy for no benefit to local citizens and rate hikes for FPL customers. A one-time payment is not enough Continue reading Question the Sabal Trail pipeline in Osceola County 2014-02-10 →

How does this pipeline benefit the public by taking land from the public?

February 5, 2014Economy, FERC, Hazards, Law, Safetycontract, Economy, eminent domain, FERC, funding, Hazards, jobs, John S. Quarterman, Law, Natural Gas Act, private property, Safety, SpectraBusters, taking, unionJohn S. Quarterman

Received Sunday on Stranded fossil fuel assets. -jsq

Governmental eminent domain powers have been growing for more than 115 years, to the point where courts have upheld the taking of property from one private owner for the purpose of transferring it to another, as long as it benefits the public. The Natural Gas Act delegates eminent domain powers to the pipeline companies, subject to court approval. However there’s no mechanism in place to dispute the taking. Things to consider:

How does this benefit the public by taking land from the public?
Is there an irrefutable study that shows this act of taking of private land is justifiable by needs other than capitalistic greed?
Also, what about the mineral rights of the property?
How many “pipes” or infrastructures can the Pipeline Company sell or lease access to other entities without any future benefits paid to the original land owners?
Are all Continue reading How does this pipeline benefit the public by taking land from the public? →

Central Florida property owner pipeline concerns –GTN

February 2, 2014Economy, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hazards, LawAlachua County, Bobby Crosby, Brian Bolves, Briana Harper, Economy, eminent domain, Florida, Gilchrist County, GTN, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, property, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TrentonJohn S. Quarterman

Injury to workers or local people, limited local resources, property rights, and more concerns all bubbling to the top in central Florida like methane from a deep well.

Briana Harper reported for GTN 29 January 2014, Natural Gas Pipeline Cause Concern for Property Owners,

The Sabal Trail Gas Pipeline is a project more than 400 miles long spanning across three different states. The purpose is to provide domestically-produced natural gas for the southeast region. But this pipeline comes at a cost to property owners. Eminent Domain Attorney Brian Bolves says, “It’s a big scale project that’s coming through the community. It will change the character of a lot of people’s property,there have been a lot of surveyors assessing people’s property and so people have a lot of concerns about the nature of this facility.”

The project will affect Continue reading Central Florida property owner pipeline concerns –GTN →

FERC: regulatory agency or marketing firm for pipeline companies?

February 2, 2014Alabama, Colquitt County, Economy, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Marion County, Osceola County, Solar, Tallapoosa CountyAlabama, Alachua County, Colquitt County, Economy, Ethics, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, John Peconom, John S. Quarterman, Marion County, marketing, Osceola County, regulation, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tallapoosa County, windJohn S. Quarterman

Its name is the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but lately it’s been sounding more like a marketing firm for pipeline companies. You can help fix that.

Bill Thompson wrote for Ocala.com 11 December 2013 about a meeting in Dunnellon, Florida, At open house, Sabal Trail presents plans for natural gas pipeline,

About 50 people attended an open house meeting held by Sabal Trail Transmission LLC, the energy firm that will construct the roughly 465-mile line for two of America’s biggest energy companies. The line will go through Alachua and Marion counties, among others….

John Peconom, project manager for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which will have final approval over the pipeline, described Sabal Trails efforts at this point as “shaking the bushes.”

The company, he said, is attempting to identify — and mitigate, if necessary — as many issues as possible before filing its application with the government, which should come in about a year.

Peconom told me in Moultrie, GA 27 January 2014 that that last was FERC’s role. I wonder why Continue reading FERC: regulatory agency or marketing firm for pipeline companies? →

The Big Picture

January 30, 2014Colquitt County, Economy, Environment, FERC, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, Law, Safety, Solar, WaterColquitt County, FERC, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, John Peconom, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

A followup to discussions in Moultrie, GA, 27 January 2014.

From: John S. Quarterman <jsqferc@quarterman.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 17:29:54 -0500
cc: John S. Quarterman <jsqferc@quarterman.org>
To: John Peconom <john.peconom@ferc.gov>
Subject: Re: Contact and the Big Picture
Howdy, and it was good to meet you in Moultrie.
I look forward to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission taking into account the whole big picture, and not just believing assertions by applicant companies without critical review.
Thanks for sending me this boilerplate, which I see appears in many FERC documents:
Any state or local permits issued with respect to the jurisdictional facilities authorized herein must be consistent with the conditions of this certificate. The Commission encourages cooperation between interstate pipelines and local authorities. However, this does not mean that state and local agencies, through application of state or local laws, may prohibit or unreasonably delay the construction of facilities approved by this Commission.

There was no source cited in the boilerplate, does it refer to this? Continue reading The Big Picture →

Fracking unsafe in at least four states

January 29, 2014Fracking, Hazards, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginiadrilling, Fracking, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Ohio, Pennsylvania, SpectraBusters, Texas, transparency, wells, West VirginiaJohn S. Quarterman

If it’s so safe, why is it so hard to find out how safe it is? And why did injecting toxic chemicals into ground water ever get approved? Since methane leaks out of pipelines and compressor stations, as well as wells, it’s time to stop fracking and pipelines and get on with solar and wind power.

Kevin Begos wrote for AP 5:20 p.m. EST January 5, 2014, 4 states confirm water pollution from drilling

PITTSBURGH (AP) — In at least four states that have nurtured the nation’s energy boom, hundreds of complaints have been made about well-water contamination from oil or gas drilling, and pollution was confirmed in a number of them, according to a review that casts doubt on industry suggestions that such problems rarely happen.

The Associated Press requested data on drilling-related complaints in Continue reading Fracking unsafe in at least four states →

Yet another fireball…..

January 27, 2014Explosion, Hazards, Manitoba, Noise, SafetyManitoba, Otterburne, TransCanada, WinnipegBeth Gordon

CBC News 25 Jan 2014, Natural gas pipeline explodes near Otterburne, Man.: Thousands without heat south of Winnipeg as arctic blast moves in

A natural gas pipeline explosion near Otterburne, Man., 50 kilometres south of Winnipeg, has left thousands without heat as temperatures drop to -20 C, or -34 C with the wind chill.
A fire is out after burning for more than 12 hours at the site of a natural gas pipeline explosion near Otterburne, Man., about 50 kilometres south of Winnipeg. But officials say there are now natural gas outages affecting as many as 4,000 people in nearby communities, where temperatures dipped to near -20 C overnight.
The Rural Municipality of Hanover declared a state of local emergency Saturday afternoon in a release that said the outage was expected to last 24 to 72 hours.
The trouble began early Saturday when RCMP responded around 1:05 a.m. to a “loud explosion.”
Witnesses who live close to the scene said it was massive. Paul Rawluk lives nearby and drove to the site.
“As we got closer, we could see these massive 200 to 300 metre high flames just shooting out of the ground and it literally sounded like a jet plane,” he said. “And that’s the thing that really got us, was the sound of it.”
He said it was hard to describe the scale.
“Massive, like absolutely massive,” he said. “The police were by [Highway] 59 and you could just see little cars out there and you could see in comparison how big the flame was. It was just literally two to 300 metres in the air. And bright, I mean lit up the sky.”

The pipeline is owned by TransCanada, the same company that later lost a lawsuit in Nebraska for the Keystone XL oil pipeline.