Category Archives: Texas

Revealed: FBI violated its own rules while spying on Keystone XL opponents | US news | The Guardian

May 13, 2015Economy, Environment, Harris County, Law, Texas, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Actually, property rights, safety, and environment are vital to the security and economy of the United States, and the invading Sabal Trail and Palmetto pipelines from Houston, Texas threaten all those things just like the invading Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta threatens them. That’s why FERC has run to today for its meeting, but it can’t hide from the protesters who will show up anyway. That is why some brave landowners legally oppose Sabal Trail taking their land, as in Moultrie May 28th.

The FBI seems to have gotten all that backwards:

“The Houston Division has identified an emerging threat from environmental extremists targeting construction projects of the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline within the Houston Domain. Many of these extremists believe the debates over pollution, protection of wildlife, safety, and property rights have been overshadowed by the promise of jobs and cheaper oil prices. These extremists include those who oppose federal, state, and local governments’ interaction or legal interference in matters of domestic oil and natural gas production.
“The Keystone pipeline, as part of the oil and natural gas industry, is vital to the security and economy of the United States.”

And actually, we support local, state, and federal governments stopping these pipeline invasions. The FBI should be helping us by exposing the corruption funded by the fossil fuel industry. Starting with the institutionalized corruption that is FERC, which brags to Congress about 100% “cost recovery” from the industries it “regulates”.

Paul Lewis, The Guardian, 12 May 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/12/revealed-fbi-spied-keystone-xl-opponents

If eminent domain is hardship to Mineral Interest Owners, it’s hardship to everyone else

March 5, 2015Alabama, Chambers County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, History, Law, Texas, WaterAlabama, caverns, Chambers County, drinking water, eminent domain, FERC, Florida, Floridan Aquifer, gas, Georgia, History, John S. Quarterman, Law, minerals, oil, salt, SpectraBusters, springs, Texas, Turtle Bay, Turtle Bayou, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

If affected salt and other minerals in subsurface caverns are enough to deny a FERC permit, drinking water in the Floridan Aquifer should be, too. The “first formal protest of Texas colonists against Mexican tyranny” was signed at Turtle Bayou, Chambers County, Texas, where an Alabama Company four years ago wanted to store natural gas underground with an associated pipeline that FERC denied. Communities and local governments throughout the Floridan Aquifer have signed protests against fossil fuel company tyranny in the form of the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline.

FERC denied that permit application for Turtle Bayou Gas Storage Company in 2011; one of only two pipeline applications that FERC’s John Peconom could find that FERC ever denied. The applicant appealed. FERC replied in Dockets CP10-481-002 and CP10-481-000, ORDER DENYING REQUEST FOR REHEARING OR RECONSIDERATION (Issued April 11, 2012), Continue reading If eminent domain is hardship to Mineral Interest Owners, it’s hardship to everyone else →

LNG export approved and proposed

February 22, 2015British Columbia, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, LNG, Louisiana, MARAD, Martin County, Maryland, Nova Scotia, Oregon, TexasAmerican Petroleum Institute, API, British Columbia, Elba Island, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, liquid natural gas, LNG, Louisiana, MARAD, Martin County, Maryland, Nova Scotia, Oregon, Quebec, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

How big is the LNG export gold rush? Here are maps of dozens of approved, proposed, and potential LNG export terminals, one of them even including Carib’s FE-authorized Martin County LNG export facility that FERC never seems to remember and Sabal Trail never talks about.

Update 2015-02-23: Now with the rest of the maps.

In addition to the approved LNG import and export terminals, there are more on this FERC map of Proposed North American LNG Export Terminals, including ones in Lake Charles (2 and 7), Sabine Pass (6), Plaquemines Parish (8 and 11), and Cameron Parish (13) Louisiana, Lavaca Bay (4) and Sabine Pass (9), Texas, Elba Island (5), Georgia, and Jacksonvile (14), Florida, as well as Coos Bay (1) and Astoria (3), Oregon, plus two in Kitimat (15 and 17) and one on Douglas Island (16), British Columbia. One of those proposed BC LNG export terminals is where Spectra Energy proposes to build not one but two pipelines. And even that ain’t all. Continue reading LNG export approved and proposed →

Port Dolphin LNG import to Florida from Louisiana and Texas?

February 22, 2015FERC, Florida, LNG, Louisiana, Maryland, TexasCove Point, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Gulfstream Pipeline, Hoegh LNG AS, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Louisiana, Maryland, Port Dolphin, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Texas, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Our old friend Port Dolphin is back asking LNG import competing with or displacing Sabal Trail’s fracked methane pipeline, this time possibly shipping gas across the Gulf of Mexico from U.S. LNG export facilities.

Back in 2009 Port Dolphin got FERC approval for LNG import, but then there was a big recession, and the “shale gas revolution” (fracking) happened, resulting in most LNG import facilities filing for LNG export instead. But Port Dolphin wants to continue with imports, as Joe Fisher wrote for Natural Gas Intelligence, 20 October 2014, Would-Be Florida LNG Importer Sees Promise in Cross-Gulf Trade,

Florida does not have indigenous gas supply and historically has been served by two interstate natural gas pipeline with a third one planned, Sabal Trail (see Daily GPI, Oct. 24, 2013). Recently announced is a related north-to-south intrastate pipeline project (Florida Southeast Connection) (see Daily GPI, Oct. 10).

Rather than turn its LNG import project around to export liquefied U.S. gas — as other would-be import terminal developers/operators have done — Port Dolphin, which is a unit of Norway’s Hoegh LNG AS, still wants to make a go of importing LNG. It told FERC the project could even regasify domestically sourced LNG from the Gulf of Mexico, for instance.

Translation: Continue reading Port Dolphin LNG import to Florida from Louisiana and Texas? →

Voters in birthplace of fracking ban it, Denton, TX sued

November 6, 2014Fracking, Politics, TexasBarnett Shale, Denton, Denton County, Fracking, John S. Quarterman, lawsuit, referendum, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

If the birthplace of fracking can’t live with it, who can? How about nobody?

Marice Richter, Reuters, 5 November 2014, Texas city bans fracking in its birthplace, court battles loom,

“Denton, Texas is where hydraulic fracturing was invented,” said Bruce Baizel, Earthworks energy program director. “If this place in the heart of the oil and gas industry can’t live with fracking, then who can?”

Fracking was pioneered at the Barnett shale formation where Denton is located. Exxon Mobil’s XTO unit honed its shale expertise in the natural gas-rich Barnett.

And the Barnett Shale is one of the sources of Spectra’s fracked methane that might go through the Sabal Trail pipeline. Continue reading Voters in birthplace of fracking ban it, Denton, TX sued →

Albany Herald breaks GA Gov. Deal Spectra campaign contributions

October 4, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, Ethics, Florida, Georgia, Politics, Tennessee, TexasAlabama, Bill Haslam, conflict of interest, corruption, Dougherty County, Ethics, Florida, Georgia, Houston, John S. Quarterman, Michelle Nunn, Nathan Deal, Politics, Rick Scott, Robert Bentley, Sabal Trail Transmission, scandal, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tennessee, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

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 →

Spectra Energy and gas pipeline campaign contributions to GA Gov. Nathan Deal

September 19, 2014Alabama, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, LNG, Louisiana, Tennessee, TexasAECOM, Alabama, Bill Haslam, California, Colorado, Consolidated Pipe & Supply Company, Ernst & Young, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Jason Carter, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Louisiana, Mark Udall, Mary Landrieu, Mexico, Nathan Deal, NextEra, Rick Scott, Robert J. Bentley, Sempra, SpectraBusters, Tennessee, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

Tied for number 3 and receiving $10,000 in 2014 Top Vendors/Recipients from Spectra Energy according to OpenSecrets.org: Governor Nathan Deal of Georgia, where Spectra wants to gouge a 100-foot right of way for its 36-inch fracked methane Sabal Trail pipeline. Actually, Nathan Deal’s campaign committee has accepted at least $21,300 from natural gas pipeline companies, including $15,000 from companies that build LNG export terminals (Sempra and AECOM) or that build pipelines to LNG export terminals (Spectra and AECOM). and $6,300 from an Alabama pipeline supply company (Consolidated Pipe & Supply Company).

Tied with Deal for third and also receiving $10,000 from Spectra:

Governor Robert J. Bentley of Alabama, where the Sabal Trail pipeline starts, connecting to Williams Transco’s Hillabee Expansion Project, which along with Sabal Trail and FSC forms the Southeast Market Expansion Project.
Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee, where Spectra wants to start its same-size Renaissance Pipeline to run through northeast Alabama and north Georgia past Atlanta.

Let’s look at candidate Nathan Deal’s most recent Georgia campaign contribution disclosure report contributions, for June 30th 2014: Continue reading Spectra Energy and gas pipeline campaign contributions to GA Gov. Nathan Deal →

South Dougherty League Sabal Trail pipeline meeting today

August 12, 2014Alabama, Compressor, Dougherty County, Explosion, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Law, TexasAlabama, compressor, Dougherty County, eminent domain, Exonomy, explosion, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, South Dougherty Community League, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

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 →

150-foot flames from methane pipeline explosion in east Texas 2014-06-26

June 29, 2014Explosion, Hazards, LNG, Texascompressor, East Bernard, Enterprise Products, explosion, export, Hazards, injury, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, LNG, SpectraBusters, Texas, Wharton CountyJohn S. Quarterman

An explosion from the much larger proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline could be much worse. And remember, much of this toxic fossil fuel pushing through leaking veins throughout the country is for export to other countries, to profit a few companies at locals’ expense. Maybe you’d like to come to Leesburg, GA to say a few words about that.

ABC 13 Eyewitness News wrote 26 June 2014, Gas line explosion sends 150-foot flames up in air,

EAST BERNARD, TX (KTRK) — Authorities are investigating an gas explosion near a compressor plant just west of East Bernard in Wharton County.

It happened at FM 1164 just south of Highway 59.

According to the Office of Emergency Management, a gas line adjacent to the Kinder Morgan compressor plant blew out, destroying the roadway and catching a nearby truck on fire. Flames as has as 150 feet were shooting out of the blaze.

One person suffered a minor injury and was transported to Oak Bend Hospital in stable condition.
Continue reading 150-foot flames from methane pipeline explosion in east Texas 2014-06-26 →

Brenham, Texas, and the highly dangerous character of gas and its tendency to escape

June 18, 2014Explosion, Florida, Hazards, Law, Leak, LNG, Safety, Texas, Washington CountyBrenham, cavern, explosion, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, leak, LNG, Safety, SpectraBusters, Texas, Washington CountyJohn S. Quarterman

Imagine the fireball in 1992 in Brenham, Texas on your land or next to your children’s school or in Riviera Beach or Tampa or Jacksonville. The pipeline companies that stored too much “natural” gas in a cavern 2,000 feet below ground that leaked and exploded and killed and injured people, incinerated cattle, and destroyed houses got off on some charges because they believed their own PR that their inherently dangerous product was safe. Will you accept a pipeline company’s bet that a yard-wide pipeline only a few feet below ground won’t leak or that an LNG storage or export facility in a highly populated area won’t leak? Or should we get on with clean, fast, safe, solar power in the Sunshine State and everywhere else?

A retired Air Force Colonel with an advanced degree in nuclear physics, Walter Carss, was an eye witness to the explosion. Carss said the countryside was suddenly illuminated by a brilliant flash of light. Turning in his chair, Carss looked in the direction of the cavern. There, he observed an enormous fireball billowing skyward. As the fireball cooled, it began to turn into a huge pillar of grey smoke. Carss then noticed a visible shock wave racing across the rural landscape. He watched the shock wave rip Continue reading Brenham, Texas, and the highly dangerous character of gas and its tendency to escape →