Category Archives: Hazards

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 →

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 →

Sabal Trail is proposiong an excessive number of crossings –Southern Natural Gas

July 27, 2015FERC, SafetyCompany, FERC, John S. Quarterman, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, SONAT, Southern Natural Gas, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Even another pipeline company can’t get critical information out of Sabal Trail. Eight months after it requested details on proposed crossings by Sabal Trail of its existing pipelines, Southern Natural Gas Company is tired of waiting. And for good reason; Sabal Trail’s crossings exponentially increase risks of corrosion, leaks, and explosions:

The operational concerns associated with the high number of crossings create the potential for significant cathodic protection system issues for both operators. Continue reading Sabal Trail is proposiong an excessive number of crossings –Southern Natural Gas →

Make FERC follow its own rules and listen to people –New Hampshire Congressional delegation to DoE Inspector General

July 27, 2015FERC, Law, New Hampshire, SafetyAnn McLane Kuster, FERC, Frank Guinta, Gregory H. Friedman Jeanne Shaheen, Inspector General, John S. Quarterman, Kelly Ayotte, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, New England Direct, New Hampshire, Safety, SpectraBusters, US. Department of EnergyJohn S. Quarterman

Kinder Morgan opposition has escalated to New Hampshire’s entire Congressional delegation demanding in polite bureaucrateze for the Department of Energy’s Inspector General to make FERC shape up. It will take more than that, but it’s a start. KMI’s New England Direct (NED) pipeline is still in FERC pre-filing.

It’s time for more Georgia, Florida, and Alabama Congress members to follow Sanford Bishop (GA-02) in calling for FERC to deny Sabal Trail a permit. Dougherty County and Albany, Georgia are organizing opposition from local through state to federal. You can comment to GA-EPD about Sabal Trail’s air quality permit for their proposed Albany compressor station. And remember to ecomment to FERC and petition Georgia Governor Deal.

PDF of the New Hampshire letter, and text below. Continue reading Make FERC follow its own rules and listen to people –New Hampshire Congressional delegation to DoE Inspector General →

This pipeline is a soft target that has inadequate security measures –Roger Marietta to FERC

July 24, 2015British Columbia, Dougherty County, Explosion, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, Leak, Safety, TexasBritish Columbia, Dougherty County, explosion, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, leak, Roger Marietta, Safety, soft target, SpectraBusters, target, terrorism, Texas, veteranJohn S. Quarterman

FERC can’t stand the truth? Here’s what Roger Marietta wrote that you still can’t see through FERC’s elibrary, which is still broken eight hours later. Same hazard blogged here eighteen months ago.

Filed with FERC 24 July 2015 as Accession Number: 20150724-5034, “Comment of Roger B. Marietta in Docket(s)/Project(s) CP15-17-000 Submission Date: 7/24/2015”

Roger B. Marietta, Albany, GA.
A developer in our City was told by the Sabal Trail right of way acquisition people that the 36″ pipe would only be buried 3 feet deep in non agricultural areas. My concern and that of other Veterans is what happens to pipelines in Iraq where a man with a shovel can dig up the dirt above a pipeline and then either tap into it or unleash an act of terrorism. With all the ISIS attacks in America recently, this pipeline is a “soft” target that has Continue reading This pipeline is a soft target that has inadequate security measures –Roger Marietta to FERC →

Do not allow Sabal to profit at the expense of thousands of people in our region –Winfred J. Dukes, GA House District 154

July 21, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Ethics, Georgia, Law, Safetycompressor, Dougherty County, Ethics, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, Safety, SpectraBusters, Winfred J. DukesJohn S. Quarterman

The state representative for Albany wrote to FERC today: “It is difficult to persuade anyone to settle in a community where billions of cubic feet on methane gas are being released annually.” Other elected and appointed officials can do the same. And you can still ecomment to FERC and ask Governor Deal to oppose Sabal Trail like he opposes the Palmetto pipeline. You and your elected and appointed officials can write like Winfred Dukes did:

The proposed Sabal pipeline will have a devastating economic impact on our community. It will cause a decline in property values. It will halt the investment the city and others have made in that area. It will impact the health of our citizens. Do not allow Sabal to profit at the expense of thousands of people in our region.

Filed with FERC as Accession Number: 20150721-5028, “Comment of Winfred J. Dukes under CP15-17.” Continue reading Do not allow Sabal to profit at the expense of thousands of people in our region –Winfred J. Dukes, GA House District 154 →

Extend the Sabal Trail comment period for up to 90 days –Albany, GA to FERC

July 21, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Ethics, Georgia, Law, SafetyAfrican-American, Albany, compressor, Dorothy Hubbard, Dougherty County, economic justice, environmental justice, Ethics, Georgia, Indian Creek, John S. Quarterman, Law, Oakridge, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WinterwoodJohn S. Quarterman

~~This is~~ See also the Dougherty County Commission letter referenced in the WFXL news story. Remember, you can still ecomment to FERC and ask Governor Deal to oppose Sabal Trail like he opposes the Palmetto pipeline.

Filed with FERC 21 July 2015 as Accession Number: 20150721-5039, “Comment of City of Albany responding to Sabal Trail’s letter dated July 16, 2015 under CP15-17.”

City of Albany
POST OFFICE BOX 447
Albany, Georgia
31702-0447
DOROTHY B. HUBBARD
MAYOR Continue reading Extend the Sabal Trail comment period for up to 90 days –Albany, GA to FERC →

Bad new compressor location, and need 90 days more comment period –Dougherty County Commission to FERC

Go Dougherty! Where are the rest of our County Commissions with their concerns about Sabal Trail suing their citizens, drilling test wells, and preparing to bore under our rivers, fields, forests, and near our schools and homes? You can still contact them, and Governor Deal, and ecomment to FERC.

Follow this link to the text of the Albany letter and here’s news by Tracey Smith, WFXL, 20 July 2015, County commissioners take united stand against Sabal Trail,

At Monday’s Board of Commissioners meeting, every board member signed a letter to send to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

While members of the board have Continue reading Bad new compressor location, and need 90 days more comment period –Dougherty County Commission to FERC →

Albany protester: we’ve been lied to from the beginning by Sabal Trail 2015-07-17

July 20, 2015Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, Explosion, Georgia, Law, Leak, Safety, WaterAlbany, Dougherty County, Economy, environment, explosion, Georgia, Jeff Hutchison, John S. Quarterman, Law, leak, Michelle Hutchison, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Seems like Albany, Georgia residents are reaching the same conclusion Searsmont, Maine residents reached after a compressor station blew out: “We’ve been lied to!”

Jarvis Robertson, WFXL, 17 July 2015, Residents continue fight against pipeline

Members of the community gathered Friday morning to let Sabal Trail Transmission know that they weren’t giving up on the fight.

A silent protest was held Friday morning in front of STT located on Evelyn Avenue.

Protestors are still concerned about damage the compression pipeline could do to the Albany-Dougherty area.

“There’s no reason for it to be in the city limits,” said Michelle Hutchison. “It could blow up and catch on fire. It needs to be Continue reading Albany protester: we’ve been lied to from the beginning by Sabal Trail 2015-07-17 →