Category Archives: Law

Suwannee County Votes to Send Letter to Army Corps Of Engineers Asking for Independent Geological Study

Tuesday April 5th Suwannee County voted 4 to 1 , with chairman Bashaw dissenting, to send a letter requesting that the Corps perform an independent environmental study concerning the geological omissions Sabal Trail withheld from their Environmental Study submitted to FERC to receive a permit to bore under the Suwannee River.

After comparing Sabal Trail’s EIS with that of local geologist Dennis Price, Chris Mericle discovered omissions and discrepancies in this report endangering the Floridan Aquifer which supplies 60% of Florida’s water supply as well as endangering millions of citizens and hundreds, if not thousand, of springs.

Sabal Trail submitted information for the pipeline permit to FERC stating the closest sinkhole to the pipeline route boring under the Suwannee River would be 750′ from the pipeline which is not true. Commissioner Wainwright and other BOCC officials discovered one active sinkhole 75′ from the 36″ fracked gas pipeline. In fact there is a sinkhole smack in the middle of the pipeline route with sinkholes covering the entire area.

SBOCC discovered this after attending a hike of the pipeline route and Falmouth Springs, which is part of a interconnected cave system that extends to the Suwannee River crossing at Suwannee River State Park which Sabal Trail claims is 100′ underground, when in fact one can see the springs practically at ground level and is part of this connected cave system and caverns named the Falmouth Cathedral Cave System. There are in fact many of these cave systems all connected within the pipeline route and throughout Florida.

Thank you SBOCC and all who assisted in this effort.

All counties in North Florida and central Florida should follow suite.

Perhaps a RICO investigation by the US Attorney General of Spectra Energy/Sabal Trail and the oil industry funded pipeline government agency, FERC, as well as invested Florida governor Scott is in order.

I do believe the time has come to stop this dangerous gas pipeline to export the natural gas that fracking invested FPL, Duke Energy and NextEra wish to export to other countries with zero benefit to the citizens of Florida.

Deb

SpectraBusters Allies cited as why Sabal Trail may fail

SpectraBusters allies were just called out by fossil fuel industry publication OilPrice, and by notorious financial blog Zerohedge, as reasons why Sabal Trail may lose.

Irina Slav, OilPrice, 31 March 2016, Gas Pipeline Uses 160 Eminent Domain Suits To Get Property In 3 States, picked up by “Tyler Durden”, Zerohedge.com, 1 April 2016,

Eminent domain is a tough pill to swallow for Americans who take their property rights very seriously, and the aggressive moves by Sabal Trail to seize property for a natural gas pipeline running through three southern states is turning into a drama of immense proportions.

The rest is the best story I’ve seen about Continue reading SpectraBusters Allies cited as why Sabal Trail may fail

The Empire Strikes Back: Spectra sues FL,GA,AL landowners

Reciting from the standard pipeline playbook, Spectra has started suing landowners. This while doughty rebels defeated 34 aye to 128 nay easements to drill under Georgia rivers, which could put a crimp in the Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail fracked methane boondoggle. Can we the people beat the Mickey Mouse fossil fuel empire?

Paul Brinkmann, Orlando Sentinel, 22 March 2016, Sabal Pipeline project files 160 eminent domain lawsuits,

The pipeline company insists that it already has federal and court authority to seize the property under the Natural Gas Act. Sabal claims its project must be under construction by June 21 and in service, by May 1, 2017.

Sabal Trail pipeline

According to maps provided by the utilities, the Sabal pipeline would come through the Four Corners area of northwestern Osceola County, dip south of Walt Disney World property, cross Interstate 4 near Celebration and connect with a hub of pipelines just west of Reunion Resort Golf Course.

The Greenpointe property is one of the biggest Continue reading The Empire Strikes Back: Spectra sues FL,GA,AL landowners

Please call your GA state rep. today to keep Sabal Trail out

They’re voting today. Here’s who to call to ask to vote No on SR 954. And below is why. If you don’t live in Georgia, you probably know somebody who does: please ask them to call their GA state rep.

More solar jobs than in oil and gas extraction John S. Quarterman, Valdosta Daily Times, today, 22 March 2016, Still possible to keep Sabal Trail out,

After two years going to Sabal Trail open houses and FERC scoping meetings, filing e-comments, guiding them to the river crossings and a legal hearing in Jasper, FERC still tells us customers for Spectra Energy from Houston, Texas, constitute a need that outweighs local property rights, environmental destruction, and hazards to our Withlacoochee and Suwannee rivers and the Floridan Aquifer, and to taxes, life, and limb.

Yet Georgia is the fastest-growing U.S. solar market, while solar Continue reading Please call your GA state rep. today to keep Sabal Trail out

Six rehearing requests to FERC, including from Sabal Trail and Transco

The pipeline companies want rehearings, apparently because they don’t like the restrictions the 20160303-5168-31286889-0001 FERC order put on them, so maybe we’ll actually see a rehearing. The other four rehearing requests all don’t like what FERC certified Sabal Trail to do, and some have new reasons beyond what was in the FEIS or the docket beforehand. Poor FERC! Nobody likes your Order! How about stop permitting new fossil fuel projects and promote renewable sun and wind power instead?

The six requests for rehearings, including one by Transco and one by Sabal Trail, all conveniently grouped by FERC in a subdocket at the end of the results if you search for CP15-17 in FERC’s Docket Search: Continue reading Six rehearing requests to FERC, including from Sabal Trail and Transco

Dougherty County upset over eminent domain threat from Sabal Trail

Dougherty County actually read what Sabal Trail is offering and is horrified.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 14 March 2016, Dougherty County officials upset over Sabal Trail ‘threat’: Pipeline builder makes ‘final offer’ for land before it says it will resort to eminent domain,

Dougherty County commissioners weren’t exactly pleased Continue reading Dougherty County upset over eminent domain threat from Sabal Trail

Albany, GA caves to Sabal Trail 4-3

One vote could have stopped this. One vote could vote out one or more of the four who voted for. Thanks to Roger Marietta for fighting on.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 15 March 2016, Albany city commissioners agree to Sabal Trail easement payment: Pipeline company to pay city $165,000 settlement for five easements,

The Albany City Commission voted 4-3 at a called meeting Tuesday morning to accept a $165,000 payment from Sabal Trail Transmissions for five easements on city-owned property.

Ward IV City Commissioner Roger Marietta suggested Continue reading Albany, GA caves to Sabal Trail 4-3

Shoestring Energy Justice Network and Dimock families defeat mighty Cabot Oil & Gas in $4.2 million anti-fracking lawsuit win

Here’s why Sabal Trail and all the other fossil fuel profiteers avoid jury trials at all costs: when twelve peers of the afflicted decide, the frackers lose. But money isn’t enough. That land and water is permanently poisoned. There’s only one real solution: end fracking, to end all its new pipelines, compressor stations, bomb trains, and LNG export.

Sharon Kelly, Desmog Blog, 10 March 2016, BREAKING: $4.2 Million Jury Verdict Against Cabot Oil & Gas in Dimock, PA Water Contamination Lawsuit,

A Pennsylvania jury handed down a $4.2 million verdict in a lawsuit centering on water contamination from negligent shale gas drilling in Dimock, PA, a tiny town that made international headlines for its flammable and toxic drinking water.

The defendant in the lawsuit, Cabot Oil and Gas Corp., had strenuously denied Continue reading Shoestring Energy Justice Network and Dimock families defeat mighty Cabot Oil & Gas in $4.2 million anti-fracking lawsuit win

Sabal Trail wants to proceed

In a letter Sabal Trail sent to multiple Florida county commissions, the most important point is “We… are on track to place the pipeline in-service by May 1, 2017.” Important to Spectra Energy, because if they slip that date they could forfeit a $200 million bond and possibly the contract for the project, and they’re having some problems with that, since despite what they imply they do not have all the permits they need.

Then there are those glossed over in passing, such as “with certain conditions” and Continue reading Sabal Trail wants to proceed

Judge denies KMI appeal for Palmetto Pipeline

Yay Savannah Riverkeeper, Greenlaw, and Push Back the Pipeline! Kinder Morgan go home to Houston: you can’t even sell your Palmetto Project. And take Spectra’s Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline with you.

JoAnn Merrigan, WSAV3, 1 March 2016, Judge says NO to Kinder Morgan appeal on Palmetto Pipeline,

The Savannah Riverkeeper says score one for property rights in Georgia when it comes to the proposed Palmetto Pipeline and the possible use of eminent domain.

A Fulton County Superior Court judge today ruled against Kinder Morgan (the company planning the pipeline.)…

Now the Riverkeeper reports that “after months of deliberation however, the judge has disagreed and that Tuesday’s decision spells relief for Continue reading Judge denies KMI appeal for Palmetto Pipeline