Category Archives: Law

An unnecessary threat by an unsafe company –Ted Turner’s Nonami Plantation to FERC about Sabal Trail

November 14, 2014Compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Georgia, Law, Safety, WaterAlbany, compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Georgia, habitat, John S. Quarterman, Joshua D. Marks, karst, Law, limestone, Nonami, property values, Safety, sinkhole, SONAT, SpectraBusters, Ted Turner, Terrell County, Water, wildlifeJohn S. Quarterman

And checkered pipeline company safety records, says Nonami:

The Project is Not Necessary and Thus Fails to Satisfy FERC Requirement of Being Publicly Necessary and Convenient
If Project is Proven Publicly Necessary, Alternative, Less Impactful Routes Exist
Pipeline Threatens the Property and the Community
Station Threatens the Property and the Community
Sabal’s Proponents have a Checkered Safety Record
Formal Public Opposition
Conclusion

I’ve added a few links and illustrations, but Nonami’s filing is so thorough it would take a long time to link to all the evidence.

Filed with FERC 13 November 2014, Comment filed on behalf of Nonami Oglethorpe, LLC by Davis, Pickren, Seydel & Sneed, LLP under PF14-1. Continue reading An unnecessary threat by an unsafe company –Ted Turner’s Nonami Plantation to FERC about Sabal Trail →

FERC recovers cost of operations through charges and fees from the industries it regulates –FERC FY14 Budget

November 12, 2014Alabama, Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, History, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, Maryland, Suwannee County, WaterAlabama, appropriation, charges, compressor, Congress, corruption, Cove Point LNG, Dougherty County, Economy, environment, Federal Power Act, fees, FERC, Florida, FPA, Georgia, Hamilton County, History, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, Maryland, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Treasury, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Don’t believe FERC is funded by the industries it regulates? Well, let’s look beyond FERC’s own About web page to its actual funding request to Congress. Maybe that will motivate you to ecomment to FERC right now, and to contact your local, state, and national elected and appointed officials.

Acting Chairman Cheryl A. LaFleur, FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, FY 2015 Congressional Performance Budget Request,

Full Cost Recovery

The Commission recovers the full cost of its operations through annual charges and filing fees assessed on the industries it regulates as authorized by the Federal Power Act (FPA) and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. The Commission deposits this revenue into the Treasury as a direct offset to its appropriation, resulting in no net appropriation.

Clear enough that FERC is 100% funded by the industries it regulates?

That may seem like a win for the taxpayers. But is it a win for you the local landowners Continue reading FERC recovers cost of operations through charges and fees from the industries it regulates –FERC FY14 Budget →

VSU Spectator covers pipeline protest at Valdosta Sabal Trail office

November 11, 2014Economy, Georgia, Law, Lowndes County, SafetyEconomy, Education, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lowndes County, Michael Noll, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Valdosta, WACEJohn S. Quarterman

It’s time for more counties to follow Dougherty County’s lead and pass resolutions against the Sabal Trail pipeline. Local protests in Valdosta and citizens speaking before local governments emphasize that point.

Brittney Penland, VSU Spectator, Page 2, 6 November 2014, Students, faculty protest future pipeline,

Protestors gathered on Oct. 31 at the corner of Park Avenue and Patterson Street to argue against the building of the Sabal Trail gas pipeline.

The protesters were associated with VSU’s Students Against Violating the Environment and Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy. The costumes they were dressed in for Halloween attracted honking and “thumbs up’s” from those driving by.

Another protest is scheduled for today at Continue reading VSU Spectator covers pipeline protest at Valdosta Sabal Trail office →

We’ve had enough of these spoiled pipeline brats stealing off of our lands. –Unist’ot’en clan of the Wet’suwet’en nation

November 10, 2014British Columbia, Canada, Environment, Law, LNG, SafetyJohn S. Quarterman

“Our lands, our final say. No pipeline.” –Freda Huson, Unist’ot’en spokeperson to Enbridge.

They’re in Canada and they never ceded their pre-existing rights to their clan territory. But we’re in the U.S. and we never ceded our rights in fee simple to our own land, water, and air, nor did we approve our taxes going to clean up any sinkholes, leaks, or explosions. I can’t necessarily endorse all their tactics, but I can say beaver is tasty and I’ve found seizing equipment that is illegally trespassing to be useful in the past.

AJ+, YouTube, 5 November 2014, How To Stop An Oil And Gas Pipeline: The Unist’ot’en Camp Resistance,

Over the past four years, Continue reading We’ve had enough of these spoiled pipeline brats stealing off of our lands. –Unist’ot’en clan of the Wet’suwet’en nation →

FERC nervous about being watched

November 6, 2014FE, FERC, Law, LNG, Maryland, New YorkCove Point, FE, FERC, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, Maryland, Minisink, New York, Sabal Trail Transmission, SpectraBusters, transparencyJohn S. Quarterman

FERC can’t even say how many pipelines have been approved, rejected, or went forward even if approved; no wonder they’re being scrutinized.

Hannah Northey, E&E, 3 November 2014, FERC faces heightened scrutiny as gas projects proliferate,

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission these days is drawing a crowd of companies promoting projects linked to the U.S. natural gas boom and protesters who say the agency blithely greenlights too many pipelines, export terminals and other gas infrastructure.

Foes of a FERC-approved export terminal at Cove Point, Md., recently rallied Continue reading FERC nervous about being watched →

Lack of need, false pretense, and duress: FERC omitted page 3 from Bill Kendall’s letter

October 27, 2014Alabama, Ethics, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Georgia, History, Law, Lowndes CountyAlabama, Bill Kendall, eminent domain, Ethics, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, FPL, GA EPD, GDOT, Georgia, History, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, STTJohn S. Quarterman

It’s integrated into the previous post now. It’s well worth reading.

-jsq

Sabal Trail surveyed without permission –Beth Gordon on WCBJ TV

October 26, 2014Alachua County, Ethics, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Law, Levy County, LNG, PHMSA, SafetyAlachua County, Beth Gordon, Ethics, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, FPL, John S. Quarterman, Law, Levy County, LNG, petition, PHMSA, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, surveyJohn S. Quarterman

Beth Gordon told a Gainesville, FL TV reporter 1500 feet from her home is still too close for the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline. And since they moved it off her property, they won’t entertain any compensation. Same for you, if a pipeline blows up in your county or state like one did in neighboring Gilchrist County, Florida in 2012: you get no compensation, but your taxes may have to pay for emergency responders, hospitals, etc.

Jesse Pagan reported Wednesday 22 October 2014 for WCJB TV, Natural Gas Pipeline Concerns, Levy County,

“It would destroy the whole way of life here in Levy County.”
“I never gave them permission, yet I came home one day and they’d cut into my locked gate. I don’t know how they did it. I think they climbed over my fence. There were surveyor stakes all over my property.
First they wanted to put it on my property. Now they’ve moved it onto the farm next door.

The reporter said that’s about 1500 feet from her property, “Too close for her comfort.”

“And because the property isn’t physically right on our property, they will not entertain payment for it.

The reporter mentioned her petition to the Florida Public Service Commission (FL-PSC) Continue reading Sabal Trail surveyed without permission –Beth Gordon on WCBJ TV →

Dougherty County Commission considers anti-Sabal Trail resolution

October 21, 2014Dougherty County, Georgia, LawAlbany, Dougherty County, Georgia, John Hayes, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

The same day as Sabal Trail’s Albany Open House, the local county commission considered a resolution against pipelines. Now if they’ll go for an actual ordinance with legal teeth…. And don’t forget the string of protests today, culminating in the Sabal Trail Open House in Jasper, FL.

Dougherty County Commission considers anti-pipeline resolution: Commissioner John Hayes asks board to take formal stance against natural gas pipeline,

ALBANY — A Dougherty County Commissioner asked the members of that body Monday to support a resolution formally opposing the Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline that is expected to come through the county.

District 2 Commissioner John Hayes called for Continue reading Dougherty County Commission considers anti-Sabal Trail resolution →

Sabal Trail delays formal FERC filing until “sometime later this year”

October 16, 2014Alabama, Economy, Environment, FERC, Florida, Gilchrist County, Law, Tallapoosa CountyAlabama, Andrea Grover, Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Natural Resources, Economy, environment, FERC, filing, Fish and Wildlife, Florida, Gilchrist County, John S. Quarterman, Law, permit, SpectraBusters, Tallapoosa County, USACEJohn S. Quarterman

Sabal Trail has backed off its end-of-October FERC filing target, now saying “sometime later this year”. Opposition is having some effects!

Robert Hudson wrote for alexcityOutlook.com 1 October 2014, in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, where Sabal Trail proposes to start its hundred-foot gouge through three states, Company preparing to submit natural gas pipeline application to FERC, Continue reading Sabal Trail delays formal FERC filing until “sometime later this year” →

Suwannee County Commission swallows Sabal Trail misinformation

October 13, 2014Florida, Hazards, Law, Leak, LNG, Pennsylvania, Suwannee CountyClyde Flemming, Debra Johnson, Florida, FPL, Jason Bashaw, John S. Quarterman, Live Oak, Phil Oxendine, Ricky Gamble, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Wesley WainwrightJohn S. Quarterman

After FPL visited it, the Suwannee County Commission decided they couldn’t do anything; nevermind that pipeline and fracking ordinances have worked in Pennsylvania and New York state, and there’s no reason to believe they wouldn’t in Florida. There’s still time for the Commissioners to stand up for the citizens of Suwannee County, Florida.

John S. Koch wrote for Suwannee Valley Times 8 October 2014, Sable Trail – Suwannee Commissioners say gas pipeline needed

The commission chairman noted that they have a copy of the resolution passed recently by the Hamilton County Commission addressing the issue as well as all the information about the Sable Trails Project released by the company handling the project. However, the board has taken no action one way or the other.

The key phrase in there seems to be “all the information about the Sable Trails Project released by the company handling the project”. Perhaps the Commission would like to dig a little deeper than information produced by the one company with the most vested interest in saying the pipeline is a great thing. This would be the same Chairman who denied his previous on-video Sabal Trail comments after he heard from FPL.

Phil Oxendine has a problem with the pipeline but not for safety concerns but rather political reasons. “We are overseas right now and that reason is because of our need for oil and the sooner we get away from that use the better we all will be.” Oxendine also feels it is not in the best interest of the country to export the gas but that is an entirely different issue he said.

Nevermind the Continue reading Suwannee County Commission swallows Sabal Trail misinformation →