Category Archives: Politics

Albany Herald breaks GA Gov. Deal Spectra campaign contributions

The Deal campaign not only accepted Spectra’s PAC money, but then tried to claim (incorrectly) that Michelle Nunn’s campaign for U.S. Senate also accepted Spectra PAC money: so Deal’s campaign took Spectra’s money and then told an untruth about who else might have. The best Spectra’s Andrea Grover could come up with was “economic development”; nevermind Sabal Trail would use out-of-state crews to install its fracked methane pipeline, it would bring almost no jobs to Georgia, and it isn’t even selling gas to Georgia. Neither even tried to implicate Jason Carter’s campaign for governor, because Carter’s campaign finance filings show zero contributions from Spectra’s PAC. The incumbent governors of Alabama and Tennessee, however, did take money from Spectra’s PAC.

Gov. Nathan Deal’s campaign accepts contributions from Spectra Energy: Houston energy giant says its PAC contributes to campaigns of candidates who favor economic development, Continue reading Albany Herald breaks GA Gov. Deal Spectra campaign contributions

Pipelines as enemy targets

Natural gas or oil pipelines are natural enemy targets, in addition to the way they frequently blow up on their own. Why build such hazards when solar power is faster, cheaper, cleaner, and doesn’t blow up?

Elad Benari wrote for Arutz Sheva 17 January 2014, Sinai Terrorists Blow Up Natural Gas Pipeline,

Strong explosion rocks central Sinai after explosives were planted beneath the gas pipeline connected to cement factories in the area.

What happens if someone blows up a solar array? Flying glass, which is bad, but nothing like blowing up the explosive fuel inside a natural gas or oil pipeline, not to mention distributed rooftop solar arrays would be very hard to destroy enough of to match the energy denial of one damaged pipeline.

Gas pipelines in Egypt has been attacked more than a dozen times Continue reading Pipelines as enemy targets

Russian South Stream natural gas pipeline no longer dead certain

Even Putin couldn’t push a pipeline past opponents. Russia’s formerly “dead certain” South Stream natural gas pipeline around Ukraine now has “potential for huge delays. Sceptics wonder whether it will happen at all.” Gazprom used the same pipeline-pushing script as Spectra, and that ended up as farce. So maybe Sabal Trail isn’t “moving forward”, either. State and local permitting, or just plain public opposition, could turn that Sabal Trail pipeline snake into roadkill, so we can get on with solar power for real economic benefits without eminent domain and with clean air and water.

Guy Chazan wrote for Financial Times 24 August 2014, South Stream gas project may now be a pipe dream,

In November 2005, a pipeline called Blue Stream was inaugurated to bring Russian gas across the Black Sea to Turkey. It was, said President Vladimir Putin, who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Continue reading Russian South Stream natural gas pipeline no longer dead certain

Norris resigns from FERC

OK, maybe he was too pro-coal, but the rest of them are too pro-fracked methane, I think. At least this means the fossil fuel industry doesn’t always get everything it wants, even as Commissioners on its captive rubberstamp agency.

Bobby McMahon wrote for Platts McGraw Hill Financial 7 August 2014, UPDATE: US FERC Commissioner John Norris resigns.

More background in what Rich Heidorn Jr. wrote for RTO Insider 22 July 2014, At FERC, Uncertainty Remains Despite Norman Bay’s Nod, in which he accuses Sen. Harry Reid of politicising FERC appointments. Which is rich, since it was Sen. John Barraso of fracking Wyoming who drove former FERC Chair Jon Wellinghoff out. However, Norman Bay will be FERC Chair next year, despite Barraso’s objections. Cheryl LaFleur is it until them.

And we still need to stop the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline.

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

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

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

Greenlaw air quality objections in Gainesville, FL newspaper

Newspaper in a Florida city twice the size of Albany, GA links Greenlaw’s Albany compressor station objections to a compressor station in Dunnellon, FL, plus Sabal Trail’s response and Greenlaw’s response to that.

Bill Thompson wrote for Daily Commercial 24 July 2014, Air-quality questions raised about Sabal Trail gas pipeline,

A compression station also is planned near Dunnellon as part of the interstate Florida line. Three other stations are planned in Florida, but none in Lake or Sumter counties.

Yes, but there’s one aimed at Suwannee County, FL, for example. Continue reading Greenlaw air quality objections in Gainesville, FL newspaper

FL State Rep. Linda Stewart joins Sabal Trail opposition

Amy Green wrote for wmfe.org, 90.7 news Orlando, 25 July 2014, New Opposition to Sabal Trail pipeline,

large_32777.jpg State Rep. Linda Stewart is joining environmentalists in opposition of the Sabal Trail pipeline. The 474-mile natural gas pipeline would span Alabama, Georgia and Florida, including Central Florida. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2016.

Stewart, a Democrat, says Florida should focus instead on solar energy.

“Anything can happen, any kind of leak, any kind of interference with the distribution of it could cause some very negative effects no matter where this may occur.”