Category Archives: Water

Resolution against Sabal Trail pipeline –Groveland, FL 2014-04-21

March 4, 2016FERC, Florida, Lake County, Polk County, Sumter County, WaterCity Council, FERC, Florida, Floridan Aquifer, Green Swamp, Groveland, John S. Quarterman, Lake County, Polk County, SpectraBusters, Sumter County, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

In April 2014 the Groveland, Florida City Council unanimously voted to ask FERC to move the Sabal Trail pipeline off of private property and the Green Swamp and onto Florida state lands.

The vote is recorded in their minutes of April 21, 2014:

Resolution 2014-04-06: Sabal Trail Transmission Line
Action: Motion to approve
Moved by Vice Mayor James Smith, Seconded by Council Member John Griffin.
Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5).
Motion approved.

The text of the resolution is in their agenda packet: Continue reading Resolution against Sabal Trail pipeline –Groveland, FL 2014-04-21 →

NY Gov. asks FERC to suspend license for a Spectra pipeline

February 29, 2016FERC, Law, New York, Politics, Safety, WaterAIM, Algonquin Incremental Market, Andrew Cuomo, election, FERC, Hudson River, Indian Point, John S. Quarterman, Law, New York, nuclear, Politics, Safety, SAPE, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Stop the Algonquin Pipeline Expansion, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Petitions to the New York Governor may have helped him send this message to FERC about Spectra’s AIM pipeline project that would go far too close to the document-forging caught-fire leaked-oil-into-the-Hudson River Indian Point nuclear plant:

Lisa W. Foderaro, New York Times, 28 Feb 2016, Plan to Expand a Pipeline at Indian Point Raises Concern,

On Monday, the state plans to notify the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that it will take a hard look at the project in light of a series of problems at the nuclear plant since last May. In addition, the state will ask federal regulators to suspend their approval of the project — effectively halting construction — until the study is completed.

“I am directing Continue reading NY Gov. asks FERC to suspend license for a Spectra pipeline →

Suwannee County Opposes Fracking and Revocation of Home Rule

February 17, 2016Florida, Fracking, Health, Safety, Suwannee County, WaterHome Rule, Opposes Fracking, Suwannee CountyDebra Johnson

Joining Forty-one different cities and 27 counties in Florida that have voted to ban fracking or have expressed their opposition to it since January 2015, Suwannee County BOCC approved three identical fracking opposition letters to Governor Scott, Pro-fracking Bill Sponsors Senator Richter (SB 318) and House Representative Rodrigues (HB 191) tonight.
These bills also contain language that would eliminate Home Rule for local governments concerning fracking.

Chairman Jason Bashaw stated that the board was in agreement that fracking or any high pressure activity underground in Suwannee County and the entire state of Florida’s karst (sinkhole prone) topology would endanger our sole source of water the Floridan aquifer. A risk that he and the rest of the board is not willing to take. Chairman Bashaw also said that he and all board members take exception to the language in the bills that strip local governments of their right to home rule concerning fracking – or anything for that matter.

Fracking involves the pumping of water or acid into wells at great depths which is something you cannot do here in Florida as our aquifer which serves drinking water to 90% of the state, is unique in that the aquifer is literally beneath the ground and at the surface in the form of thousands of springs which are the windows to our aquifer. The state of Florida is prone to sinkholes due to the porous limestone that lies below and above the surface of the land in Florida. This limestone topology is supported by the aquifer and affected by the depletion of it’s water.

Continue reading Suwannee County Opposes Fracking and Revocation of Home Rule →

Suwannee County Commissioners and public to hike to Sabal Trail Suwannee River Crossing

February 16, 2016FERC, Florida, Hamilton County, Politics, Suwannee County, WaterFERC, Florida, Floridan Aquifer, Government, John S. Quarterman, Politics, Sabal Trail Transmission, sinkhole, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, spring, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Water, WWALSJohn S. Quarterman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Live Oak, February 10, 2016 — The date has been set to go see where Spectra Energy of Houston Texas has been permitted by the Picture by Alton Burns Federal Energy Regulatory (FERC) in Washington, DC to drill under the Suwannee River for its Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline despite widespread local opposition. The Suwannee Board of County Commissioners already voted a resolution to move Sabal Trail’s compressor station. Still mulling stronger action, the SBOCC agreed at a recent meeting to go with local guides, including WWALS Watershed Coalition board member Chris Mericle, on a hike with the public to where FERC said construction monitoring was important for the river and our drinking water in the Floridan Aquifer, but Sabal Trail should be left to self-monitor. The day and time have been set: 8:15 AM Thursday February 18, 2016.

All interested individuals will meet at: Continue reading Suwannee County Commissioners and public to hike to Sabal Trail Suwannee River Crossing →

We will accept Sabal Trail’s answers –FERC issues certificates

February 3, 2016Environment, FERC, Law, LNG, Politics, WaterAlbany, Dougherty County, Duke Energy, environment, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Hamilton County, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, NextEra Energy, Politics, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Transco, Water, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Property rights, environment, or safety? 14% pipeline company profit is more important! said FERC. But this fight is not over.

Without ever appearing on FERC’s public calendar, and a month in advance of when FERC previously said, FERC yesterday issued certificates for Sabal Trail, the Transco Hillabee Expansion Project, and Florida Southeast Connection. Trial-style evidentiary hearing? Nope, FERC believes Sabal Trail. Consolidation of the three dockets into one? Nope, everybody should have opposed all three, says FERC. Environmental justice? Hey, demographics don’t matter, pipeline siting is all about engineering and “environmental” issues. And profit. Don’t forget profit for the pipeline companies. Solar power? Nevermind, Continue reading We will accept Sabal Trail’s answers –FERC issues certificates →

SUWANNEE COUNTY SBOCC TO HIKE SABAL TRAIL RIVER CROSSING

February 2, 2016Florida, Suwannee County, WaterDebra Johnson

Suwannee County commissioner Clyde Fleming attended the joint group meeting organized by the Sierra Club and other environmental groups January 15 2016.

The event was held at Suwannee River State Park where Sabal Trail plans to bore a pipeline under the River beginning 675 yards off the river bank. This event included a hike of the Sabal Trail pipeline route.

Sabal Trail has stated that there were no sinkholes Continue reading SUWANNEE COUNTY SBOCC TO HIKE SABAL TRAIL RIVER CROSSING →

Suwannee County Petition to BOCC Download & Drop Off Info With Maps of the Proposed Sabal Trail Pipeline Route

January 27, 2016Economy, Environment, Florida, Petitions, Safety, Suwannee County, WaterFlorida, Sabal Trail Pipeline, SBOCC, Suwannee County PetitionsDebra Johnson

Suwannee County citizens, we have a local petition to Suwannee County BOCC in addition to the state petition that is being circulated. Please sign and circulate for signatures both petitions.

Click read more below to download, sign and gather signatures. I have also included maps that are printable of the entire pipeline route from Alabama to Florida and a Suwannee County Map showing where the pipeline is PROPOSED. No matter what you are being told or if you have signed easement papers with Sabal Trail THIS PIPELINE NOT A DONE DEAL FOLKS.

We also have Continue reading Suwannee County Petition to BOCC Download & Drop Off Info With Maps of the Proposed Sabal Trail Pipeline Route →

No Fracked Gas Florida –Harriet Heywood

January 10, 2016Economy, Florida, Fracking, Pennsylvania, Politics, Safety, Texas, WaterEconomy, Florida, Florida League of Women Voters, Florida Petroleum Council, Fracking, Ft. Myers, Gasland, Harriet Heywood, Jimmie T Smith, John S. Quarterman, Naples, Orlando, Pennsylvania, Politics, Ray Wesley Rodrigues, Safety, Senator Garrett Richter, SpectraBusters, Susquehanna County, Texas, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Wouldn’t it be convenient for fossil fuel profits if the Sabal Trail pipeline was already in place and they started fracking? Received today as a comment on Strom LNG Processing & Export In The Public Interest? What About Solar & Other Clean Energy Alternatives?; the content is the opinion of the author undersigned below. -jsq

The health of the people and the water of the state of Florida are being auctioned off by a block of elected politicians backed by big oil company lobbyists. And our House representative is one of them.

September 17, the Florida League of Women voters called a town hall in the Orlando area to address public concerns over industry plans to practice hydraulic acid fracturing on our fragile limestone aquifers. Not coincidentally, HB 191, and SB 318, bills that call for preempting Home Rule laws, for the express purpose of greasing the skids for fracking in Florida, were quietly introduced that same day by Rep Ray Wesley Rodrigues, Ft. Myers and Senator Garrett Richter, Naples.

The bill is backed by Continue reading No Fracked Gas Florida –Harriet Heywood →

The LNG export shell game: FERC, FE, MARAD, or NEB?

January 9, 2016British Columbia, Economy, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Law, LNG, MARAD, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Nova Scotia, Oregon, Solar, Suwannee County, Texas, WaterAES, Bahamas, Big Bend, boondoggle, British Columbia, Calypso LNG, Coos Bay, Cove Point LNG, Economy, Elba Island LNG, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, FPL, Georgia, greed, Hudson River, Jacksonville Expansion Project, Jaxport, JEP, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, LNG, Manhattan, MARAD, Maryland, Mexico, NE, NextEra Energy, Nova Scotia, Ocean Express, Oregon, Oregon LNG export, Port Dolphin, Port Everglades, profit, Rio Grande, Sabal Trail Transmission, shell game, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Strom, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Texas, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

If you’re a Houston fossil fuel company and you can’t get FERC approval fast enough, try FE, or MARAD! If that doesn’t work, ship it by land through Canada or Mexico! Local property rights, they laugh at those! Rio Grande, Suwannee River, or Hudson River: just minor obstacles to greed! If the people are tired of profit being more important than their land, water, air, or safety, it’s time to stop this fossil fuel shell game.

MARAD

Continue reading →

Marion County Sinkhole on Sabal Trail path

December 25, 2015FERC, Florida, Marion County, Safety, WaterAudubon Florida, burrowing owl, Florida, gopher tortoise, Janet Barrow, Marion County, Rainbow River, Rainbow Springs, River Springs, Rock Springs, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, sand hill crane, scrub jay, sinkhole, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Janet Barrow says:

Here is a photo of a sinkhole that is 1230 feet from the proposed pipeline at MP 380. It dropped overnight—40′ wide and deep—several years ago.

This is the biggest recent one on the ranch where I live, but there are others. MP 377 – MP 386 go through the ranch where I live. We don’t own it. My husband is manager. This is in Marion County. 29.094506, -82.405163.

The thing is, I know a lot about this land, and very few others know anything about it. It is Continue reading Marion County Sinkhole on Sabal Trail path →