Category Archives: Law

Sabal Trail not on GA State Properties Commission Agenda

October 17, 2015Georgia, LawChattahoochee River, Flint River, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, Nathan Deal, Ochlockonee River, Okapilco Creek, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, State Properties Commission, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

The Georgia State Properties Commission agenda for Wednesday has nothing on it about Sabal Trail or easements under Georgia rivers. So the river land giveaway by the GA DNR board last month will not be confirmed this month. So there’s more time to contact the SPC board to stop Sabal Trail from crossing the Withlacoochee River, Okapilco Creek, Ochlockonee River, Flint River, and Chattahoochee River.

SPC doesn’t provide any contacts for their board members, but here are their main contacts:

270 Washington Street, Suite 2-129
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
www.howsmyservice.spc.ga.gov
Steve Stancil, State Property Officer, 404-656-3253
Marvin Woodward, Deputy State Property Officer, 404-463-5608
Frank Smith, Deputy Executive Director, 404-656-5602

And we know how to reach the governor’s office: (404) 656-1776.

Somebody should go Continue reading Sabal Trail not on GA State Properties Commission Agenda →

Videos: Citizens against Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail pipeline to FERC in Albany, Moultrie, Valdosta, and Lake City

October 3, 2015Colquitt County, Columbia County, Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, Ethics, FERC, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, Law, Lowndes County, WaterAlbany, Colquitt County, Columbia County, community, compressor, Dougherty County, eminent domain, environment, Ethics, FERC, Flint River, Flint Riverkeeper, Florida, Floridan Aquifer, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Lake City, Law, Lowndes County, Moultrie, Okapilco Creek, Our Santa Fe River, people, property rights, SpectraBusters, Suwannee River, Valdosta, Water, Withlacoochee River, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Citizens renamed Sabal Trail the Sinkhole Pipeline because it doesn’t belong in the sinkhole-prone karst limestone of the Floridan Aquifer. FERC can’t say they weren’t told, since videographers followed them through all four cities so far; see for yourself.

Albany, Monday 28 September 2015, videos by Thomas Swain

Moultrie, Tuesday 29 September 2015, videos by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE)

“You tell us you’re sorry and it happens again”, said Continue reading Videos: Citizens against Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail pipeline to FERC in Albany, Moultrie, Valdosta, and Lake City →

Citizens oppose Sabal Trail in Albany, Moultrie, and Valdosta this week –WTOC, Albany, GA

September 28, 2015Brooks County, Colquitt County, Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Law, Lee County, Lowndes County, Safety, Suwannee CountyAlbany, Brooks County, Colquitt County, compressor, Dougherty County, environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lee County, Lowndes County, Mitchell County, Moultrie, Safety, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Terrell County, Valdosta, WTOCJohn S. Quarterman

Property rights, environment, health, and safety are why citizens oppose Sabal Trail, including tonight in Albany or Tuesday in Moultrie or Wednesday in Valdosta. Be sure to show up by 5:30 PM to sign up to speak.

Caitlyn Chastain, WTOC, 28 September 2015, Public meetings ahead for Sabal Trail Pipeline, starting today,

It’s a project that has gained a lot of attention and a lot of criticism.

Many people are concerned Continue reading Citizens oppose Sabal Trail in Albany, Moultrie, and Valdosta this week –WTOC, Albany, GA →

LTE opposing GA-DNR giving away easements to Sabal Trail –FrK, WWALS, GA Sierra Club

September 21, 2015Georgia, Law, WaterDepartment of Natural Resources, easement, Flint Riverkeeper, GA DNR, Georgia, Jeff Sinyard, John S. Quarterman, Law, license, Mark Woodall, S. Gordon Rogers, Sabal Trail Transmission, Sierra Club, Spectra Energy, Water, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

And you can contact other GA-DNR board members, send them comments, or go to the meeting Wednesday morning 9AM in Atlanta. -jsq

Jeff Sinyard represents southwest Georgia on the Board of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. He is our voice on that very important and powerful Board.
Sabal Trail Pipeline needs easements granted by the DNR Board to pass under key southwest and south-central Georgia rivers and creeks. Elsewhere in Georgia, over to the east and on the coast, Governor Deal’s DOT recently blocked the use of eminent domain for a gas and diesel pipeline. The Governor Continue reading LTE opposing GA-DNR giving away easements to Sabal Trail –FrK, WWALS, GA Sierra Club →

Three-week fast in front of FERC by BXE 9-25 September 2015

September 8, 2015Economy, Environment, FERC, Law, SolarBeyond Extreme Energy, BXE, Climate Change, Economy, environment, fast, FERC, fossil fuels, John S. Quarterman, Laudato Si, Law, pope, solar, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Many its members have already gotten flattened by the FERC rubberstamp process. They’ve been protesting outside and inside FERC meetings. They’ve gotten arrested and a judge acquitted one of them because FERC violated the First Amendment. Now Beyond Extreme Energy is escalating to a water-only fast outside FERC until Pope Francis arrives.

The pope who in his June encylical Laudato Si wrote that Continue reading →

FERC loses: Judge acquits Beyond Extreme activist

August 31, 2015FERC, LawBeyond Extreme Energy, BXE, FERC, First Amendment, John F. McCabe Jr., John S. Quarterman, Laura Gubisch, Law, Mark Goldstone, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

FERC is 100% funded by the industries it “regulates”, but apparently there’s at least one independent judge left, and FERC loses for persecuting the public it’s supposed to represent.

BXE, 30 August 2015, Judge Faults FERC, Acquits Beyond Extreme Energy Activist,

A member of Beyond Extreme Energy (BXE) who was arrested inside the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission building in May and charged with illegal entry was declared not guilty last week (Aug. 20) in a bench trial before Judge John F. McCabe Jr. in D.C. Superior Court.

In acquitting Laura Gubisch, Continue reading FERC loses: Judge acquits Beyond Extreme activist →

Spectra was fined for Steckman Ridge compressor blowout

August 21, 2015Bedford County, Compressor, Law, Leak, PennsylvaniaAndra Grover, Andrea Grover, Bedford County, compressor, John S. Quarterman, Law, leak, Pennsylvania, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Steckman RidgeJohn S. Quarterman

A Spectra compressor station in Pennsylvania blew oil over local crops in 2009, and Pennsylvania fined Spectra $22,000 for that in 2010. Spectra’s Andrea Grover told me in 2013 that everybody there was happy. Mike Benard explained actually that wasn’t the case. Benard later wrote sage words: Spectra Energy: Trust Facts Not Promises. Better to stop Spectra’s Albany compressor station before it has a chance to spew.

Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection, Press Release, 31 March 2010, DEP Fines Steckman Ridge $22,000 for Air, Water Quality Violations: Malfunctioning Compressor Discharged Industrial Oil to Surrounding Properties, Continue reading Spectra was fined for Steckman Ridge compressor blowout →

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 →

FL Gov. Scott Sabal Trail permit conflict of interest –FloridaBulldog

August 4, 2015Ethics, Florida, Hamilton County, Law, Suwannee CountyAdam Putnam, Agriculture Commissioner, conservation, Dan Christensen, Department of Environmental Protection, Energy Transfer, Energy Transfer Equity, Environmental Resources Permit, ERP, Ethics, FL-DEP, Florida, FloridaBulldog, Gulfstream, Hamilton County, Jeff Atwater, John S. Quarterman, Kelcy Warren, Law, north Florida, Pam Bondi, PVR Partners, Regency Energy Partners, Rick Scott, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, south Georgia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, submerged state lands, Suwannee County, Transco, watershed, Williams Company, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Florida’s Governor Rick Scott owns Williams Co. and other pipeline company stock, and that’s an issue with FL-DEP’s intent to issue a permit for Sabal Trail, says the reporter who broke the Rick Scott conflict story a year ago.

Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog, 4 August 2015, Gov. Scott’s pipeline investment gets a boost from Florida environmental regulators,

The Board of Trustees of Florida’s Internal Improvement Trust Fund owns the submerged lands, according to DEP’s notice. The board is comprised of the governor and Cabinet — Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and state chief financial officer Jeff Atwater.

There’s much more in the story, including that WWALS Watershed Coalition intends to file a protest with FL-DEP by this Friday, August 7th. WWALS confirms that, and adds: Continue reading FL Gov. Scott Sabal Trail permit conflict of interest –FloridaBulldog →

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 →