Category Archives: Law

Video: LNG exports are because of fracking methane glut –Chief of LNG-export-approving Office of Fossil Energy

Ethics, FE, Law, LNG, , , , , , , ,

See the head of DoE’s Office of Fossil Energy (FE) spell out that fracking has caused a glut of metane and the fossil fuel industry wants to market it by exporting it, in a hearing about H.R. 6, which would authorize LNG exports to all 159 WTO member countries.

William Huston commented September 6, 2014 at 11:23 pm:

Great article, thanks.

I found video of Dr. Gant’s testimony. May want to embed this in the article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esLENoz2bG4

Continue reading Video: LNG exports are because of fracking methane glut –Chief of LNG-export-approving Office of Fossil Energy →

Action letter to County Commissioners against Sabal Trail pipeline

Economy, Environment, Florida, History, Law, Suwannee County, Water, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Update 2014-09-12: Still more signatures.
Update 2014-09-08: Still more signatures.
Update 2014-09-07: More signatures.

Debra Johnson posted this on the Suwannee Alliance For Sustainable Growth facebook group 1 September 2014:

SABAL TRAIL PIPELINE ACTION NEEDED—If you desire add your signature to this multi-group email please enter it in the comment section.This email will be sent from SAFSG and other groups to BOCC officials here and in surrounding counties. It is available for use anywhere Sabal Trail pipeline is a threat—Simply change the county and/or state name in the body. We will start sending it out Tuesday Sept. 2nd. You should read it even if you do not sign as it contains important information.

The Suwannee County, FL Commission meets today, 2 September 2014. When does yours meet? Here is contact information for Florida counties. Here is contact information for Georgia and Alabama county commissions and city councils along the proposed pipeline path, as well as for state and federal elected officials. Remember also to comment with FERC on docket # PF14-1. Here’s the letter. -jsq

Dear Commissioner,

We are sure that you have heard of the Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy Pipeline and the resolution passed by Hamilton County BOCC August 22, 2014, to prohibit its path through the Withlacoochee River in Hamilton County (link below). It appears that that resolution has been successful. But the problem has not gone away in that Sabal Trail has already sent FERC and Rep. Ted Yoho a letter suggesting that they move the pipeline yet again! (link below).

We would also like to bring to your attention to other local government actions that have been implemented to protect the citizens of those counties. Our hope is that your county government will consider adopting one of these strategies in this crucial effort to protect their citizens, water, land, etc. from this gas pipeline which will provide zero benefit to the people of Florida Continue reading Action letter to County Commissioners against Sabal Trail pipeline →

Warren County, VA resolution against Spectra pipeline

Economy, Environment, History, Law, Trees, Virginia, Water, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A second Virginia county board passed a resolution against Spectra’s proposed route for Duke’s Pennsylvania-to-North-Carolina pipeline just as Spectra “suspended” its activities. Warren County, VA realized that a few personal property business taxes and lodging and meals taxes during construction wouldn’t be nearly enough to balance “federal and state designated historic districts, state and federal designated historic sites, state designated scenic byways, state designated scenic rivers, agricultural and forestal districts, the Appalachian Trail, Civil War battlefields and historic sites, and conservation easements”. Are not Florida, Georgia, and Alabama’s agriculture, springs, rivers, and Floridan Aquifer as important as Virginia’s Appalachian Trail and historic sites?

Alex Bridges wrote for NV Daily 8 August 2014, Supervisors oppose gas line route,

FRONT ROYAL—Warren County leaders this week joined opponents of a $4 billion, natural gas pipeline slated to run through five states.

Duke Energy issued a request for proposals to build the pipeline to connect resources in western Pennsylvania to its facilities in North Carolina. Spectra Energy Partners responded to Duke’s request and proposed a corridor through Warren County and other jurisdictions.

Here’s Duke’s PR of 1 April 2014 about its pipeline RFP, Continue reading Warren County, VA resolution against Spectra pipeline →

State and local permitting for Sabal Trail pipeline

Alabama, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Georgia, Jefferson County, Law, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, PHMSA, Water, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Florida Public Service Commission has a special say in the Southeast Market Pipelines Project because the Florida Southeast Connection (FSC) leg of this pipeline is completely inside Florida and completely owned by FPL, a Florida regulated electric utility. And Florida has a say because the entire excuse for the three-part Transco -> Sabal Trail -> FSC project is that supposedly Florida needs the power (it doesn’t, but that’s the excuse). FPL is getting so desperate for public acceptance of this boondoggle they pressed their own CEO, Eric Silagy, into attempting to rebut Our Santa Fe River’s latest entry in the op-ed debate.

Sabal Trail and FERC would like everyone to believe state regulators have no say, but that’s just not true. It’s not even clear GA PSC has no say, considering that Continue reading State and local permitting for Sabal Trail pipeline →

Jefferson County, FL stopped Nestle; counties can stop Sabal Trail

Economy, Environment, Florida, Jefferson County, Law, Water, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A foreign company wanting to take local resources and not even provide any local jobs, only in “preliminary stages”: sound familiar? Swiss company Nestlé used the same playbook to try to grab water from the Wacissa River that Houston company Spectra Energy is trying to gouge its hundred-foot right of way for its yard-wide fracked methane pipeline through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Wacissa and Jefferson County, Florida fought back and won. Counties can do the same to stop that pipeline.

Brett Adler wrote for the Florida Independent 2 December 2010, Nestle draws fire for plans to pump more water from North Florida springs,

Citizens in North Florida are gearing up for what many foresee as a drawn-out battle with Nestle Waters North America, the country’s largest water bottler, which recently completed test wells Continue reading Jefferson County, FL stopped Nestle; counties can stop Sabal Trail →

Williams Atlantic Sunrise to feed fracked methane to Sabal Trail: Videos of Scoping Meetings

Economy, FERC, Fracking, Law, LNG, Pennsylvania, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FERC’s scoping meetings seem just as much a farce at the other end of Williams’ Transco pipeline from the Hillabee Expansion (PF14-6) that would feed Spectra’s Sabal Trail (PF14-1), Williams is pushing its Atlantic Sunrise Project (PF14-8) to suck up more Marcellus Shale fracked methane from Pennsylvania and ship it down here to Alabama, Georgia, and Florida and out through LNG export. Activists up there videoed several Pennsylvania Scoping Meetings, so you can see the show for yourself.

Don’t believe me that Atlantic Sunrise is to feed Sabal Trail; believe Housley Carr in Oil & Gas Financial Journal 17 january 1014, MIAMI 2017 – MARCELLUS GAS HEADING TO FLORIDA, Continue reading Williams Atlantic Sunrise to feed fracked methane to Sabal Trail: Videos of Scoping Meetings →

Timeline: Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline has no permit yet

Alabama, Compressor, Economy, Environment, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazard, Hazards, Kentucky, Law, LNG, New York, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spectra, FPL, and Williams have not even formally filed with FERC for pipeline permits yet, and that process usually takes about a year. Permitting confusion benefits Spectra about its Sabal Trail Transmission 36-inch hundred-foot-right-of-way fracked methane pipeline, because people don’t know what they can do. You can file ecomments right now, and show up and protest. As soon as the pipeline company files for the formal permit process, you can file as an intervenor, which gives you legal rights to be heard, file legal briefs, and to appeal. Plus many state and local permits also have to be filed, and people can participate in those processes. Even if there ever is a FERC permit, a landowner who makes the pipeline company actually go through the eminent domain process will very likely get a better deal. If enough landowners say Come and Take It, the whole thing may become uneconomical for Spectra, as for Williams Company when it cancelled the Bluegrass Pipeline in Kentucky.

FERC’s Pre-Filing Process

Spectra and Williams and FPL are currently in the pre-filing process with FERC, Continue reading Timeline: Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline has no permit yet →

South Dougherty League Sabal Trail pipeline meeting today

Alabama, Compressor, Dougherty County, Explosion, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Law, Texas, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not just for Ted Turner, former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham, and Greenlaw anymore: now the whole neighborhood south of Albany is objecting to that fracked methane pipeline and its compressor station. Plus the hundred people who showed up at the FERC Scoping Meeting 4 March 2014, and more who went to U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop’s (GA-02) listening session 17 April 2014. When Spectra’s Andrea Grover bragged in op-eds about the 50 public meetings, she forgot to mention that the public response was overwhelmingly against Spectra’s pipeline, and that opposition is growing.

Melody Briscoe wrote for WALB TV 9 August 2014, Meeting over concern of pipeline and compressor, Continue reading South Dougherty League Sabal Trail pipeline meeting today →

Answer the questions you promised –Former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham to FERC

Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Law, Politics, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Especially about that Hillabee route. Filed with FERC today. -jsq

Senator Bob Graham

United States Senate
1987-2005

GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA
1979-1987

July 21, 2014

Mr. Philip D. _Moeller
Commissioner
Federal Energy_Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20426

RE: Sabal Pipeline PF14—1

Dear Commissioner Moeller, Continue reading Answer the questions you promised –Former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham to FERC →

Gov. Scott tied to Everglades drilling: driller kicked out of Florida

Ethics, Florida, Fracking, Law, Politics, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rick Scott’s financial ties to fracking got that driller kicked out of Florida. Now that Gov. Scott has been tied to the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline, maybe Florida will kick Spectra out of the state, too.

Steve Bousquet wrote for the Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau 13 June 2014, Scott’s stake in oil company tied to Collier drilling riles environmentalists, Continue reading Gov. Scott tied to Everglades drilling: driller kicked out of Florida →