Category Archives: Water

New sinkhole in Lowndes County terrain Sabal Trail wants to gouge through

August 6, 2015Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Lowndes County, Solar, WaterAct of God, Assumption Parish, drinking water, FGT, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, Floridan Aquifer, Force Majeure, fragile, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, karst, limestone, Louisiana, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Shiloh Road, sinkhole, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Twice in five years a sinkhole big enough to risk rerouting a road appears in Lowndes County, Georgia, in the same fragile karst limestone Valdosta limesink terrain Sabal Trail proposes to gouge through What if a sinkhole drops under that pipeline, and, like FGT in 2013, Sabal Trail declares force majeure and doesn’t pay?

See On the LAKE Front, 2015-08-06, County and news media digging deeper on Shiloh sinkhole story, Continue reading New sinkhole in Lowndes County terrain Sabal Trail wants to gouge through →

Albany protester: we’ve been lied to from the beginning by Sabal Trail 2015-07-17

July 20, 2015Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, Explosion, Georgia, Law, Leak, Safety, WaterAlbany, Dougherty County, Economy, environment, explosion, Georgia, Jeff Hutchison, John S. Quarterman, Law, leak, Michelle Hutchison, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Seems like Albany, Georgia residents are reaching the same conclusion Searsmont, Maine residents reached after a compressor station blew out: “We’ve been lied to!”

Jarvis Robertson, WFXL, 17 July 2015, Residents continue fight against pipeline

Members of the community gathered Friday morning to let Sabal Trail Transmission know that they weren’t giving up on the fight.

A silent protest was held Friday morning in front of STT located on Evelyn Avenue.

Protestors are still concerned about damage the compression pipeline could do to the Albany-Dougherty area.

“There’s no reason for it to be in the city limits,” said Michelle Hutchison. “It could blow up and catch on fire. It needs to be Continue reading Albany protester: we’ve been lied to from the beginning by Sabal Trail 2015-07-17 →

Albany and Dougherty County, GA leaders meet to stop Sabal Trail

July 18, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, Safety, WaterAir, Albany, compressor, Dorothy Hubbard, Dougherty County, Economy, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, John Hayes, John S. Quarterman, Mayor, Roger Marietta, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Sanford Bishop, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tracey Smith, Water, WFXL, Winfred DukesJohn S. Quarterman

Polite complaints to FERC, even demands, aren’t working, not even from elected officials at every level, city (Albany), county (Dougherty), state (Georgia), and federal. Now they are escalating to demonstrations and flooding FERC with comments while getting in the news.

Tracey Smith, WFXL, 9 July 2015, Top leaders meet to stop the Sabal Trail,

For years local leaders have been fighting against the Sabal Trail pipeline and the compressor station set to be built in Albany and Dougherty County. Now it’s time for the final push against the project.

Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard, Georgia State Representative Winfred Dukes, County Commissioner John Hayes, Albany Commissioner Roger Marietta and other top leaders all got together in one room, for one reason: to stop the Sabal Trail from happening.

Their concerns range from Continue reading Albany and Dougherty County, GA leaders meet to stop Sabal Trail →

Sierra Club FERC comment submission form for Sabal Trail Albany Compressor

July 14, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, LNG, Safety, WaterAlbany, compressor, Dougherty County, environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Jerry Funderburk, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Roger Marietta, Safety, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

A FERC comment submission form appears along with a letter by Roger Marietta, Albany City Councilman, in the Georgia Sierra Club newsletter based on the recent Albany Herald silent protest story about Spectra Energy of Houston Texas’ invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline and its Albany compressor station. Excerpt:

It is clear that the Sabal Trail Pipeline will destroy our local environment, and is hazardous to private property, health, and the local economy. The evidence has shown that this massive pipeline is not needed; Continue reading Sierra Club FERC comment submission form for Sabal Trail Albany Compressor →

Deny Sabal Trail, said U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, and FERC ignored him

June 19, 2015Agriculture, Alabama, Compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Law, Lee County, Safety, Stewart County, WaterAgriculture, Air, Alabama, Albany, aquifer, compressor, Dougherty County, eminent domain, FERC, FGT, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, GDOT, Georgia, Georgia Department of Transportation, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, karst, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, lawsuit, Lee County, Mitchell County, noise, Palmetto Pipeline, pollution, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Sanford Bishop, sinkhole, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Stewart County, Transco, trespass, Water, Webster CountyJohn S. Quarterman

Citing the GDOT denial of KMI’s Palmetto Pipeline and numerous specific hazards of Spectra Energy’s proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline (sinkholes in karst limestone and a compressor station next to Albany’s water wells, all for no benefit to Georgia, by a company with a poor safety record), U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-02) wrote to FERC (PDF):

I believe that FERC should deny STT’s application for a Certificate of Public Necessity.

And he told FERC to tell Sabal Trail to stop suing his constituents for eminent domain.

A year after Rep. Bishop listened in Albany for two hours to complaints about Sabal Trail, Dougherty County and Albany, Georgia filed followup letters to their resolutions against that pipeline. Neither FERC nor Sabal Trail answered them, so their Representative in the U.S. Congress forwarded their letters with that sharp cover letter. Three weeks later, FERC still hasn’t even filed his letter in their e-comment system, much less responded to it.

Just how lawless is FERC, anyway? Doesn’t a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations give them pause? Continue reading Deny Sabal Trail, said U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, and FERC ignored him →

FERC still stonewalling Dougherty County Commission and landowners about Sabal Trail

June 19, 2015Agriculture, Dougherty County, FERC, Hazards, Law, Safety, Trees, WaterAgriculture, air quality, Dougherty County, Dougherty County Commission, economic justice, FERC, forests, geology, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, Ned, noise, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, soil, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Trees, Water, wetlands, wildlifeJohn S. Quarterman

It’s not a short list; basically nothing Dougherty County previously asked has been answered by Sabal Trail or FERC:

They have not addressed the issues of (1) potential effects on geology and soil, (2) impacts on water resources and wetlands, (3) impacts on vegetation, forests, fisheries, wildlife and threatened species, (4) cumulative impacts, (5) public safety concerns, (6) purpose and need for the proposed pipeline, (7) alternatives to the preferred route, (8) air quality and noise and (9) socioeconomic factors – environmental justice.

Filed with FERC 6 April 2015 as Accession Number: 20150406-5144, “Comment of Dougherty County, Georgia under CP15-17.” Continue reading FERC still stonewalling Dougherty County Commission and landowners about Sabal Trail →

Albany wells in Sabal Trail’s path

June 19, 2015Dougherty County, FERC, Hazard, WaterAlbany, Dougherty County, FERC, Hazard, John S. Quarterman, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Water, water supply, wellsJohn S. Quarterman

Does FERC care about Albany and Dougherty County’s water supply?

Filed with FERC 19 May 2015 as Accession Number: 20150519-5141, “Letter of concern for City of Albany’s water supply under CP15-17”:

City of Albany
POST OFFICE BOX 447
Albany, Georgia
31702-0447
Via Electronic Filing
May 19, 2015
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, N.E., Room 1A
Washington, D.C. 20426
RE: Southeast Market Pipelines Project
Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC
Docket No. CP15-17-000
Docket No. CP14-16-000
Docket No. CP14-554-000
Dear Secretary Bose:
We wish to point out a special feature Continue reading Albany wells in Sabal Trail’s path →

At least put Sabal Trail on hold –Moultrie resolution

June 17, 2015Colquitt County, Compressor, FERC, Georgia, Law, Safety, WaterAirport, Colquitt County, compressor, ecosystem, eminent domain, FERC, FPL, GA EPD, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, need, NextEra, property rights, Sabal Trail, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, taxes, Water, William M. McIntoshJohn S. Quarterman

Moultrie‘s review shows the Texan and Floridan FERC-enabled Sabal Trail wants Colquitt County as a cheap invasion route, even though that threatens local property rights, taxes, health, welfare, airport, and general ecosystem, while there’s no demonstrated need for the fracked methane nor any definitive plans even to sell it in Georgia, so the Moultrie city government opposes the pipeline and resolves that it should at least be put on hold until local concerns are adequately considered by FERC and GA-EPD.

So both of the counties (Dougherty and Colquitt) and both of their county seats (Albany and Moultrie) named by Sabal Trail as needing gas through MGAG have passed resolutions saying they don’t want the pipeline at all, along with Terrell County, Brooks County, Lowndes County, and Valdosta, Georgia, plus Hamilton County, Florida.

Filed with FERC 6 May 2015 as Accession Number: 20150506-0008, “City of Moultrie, Georgia submits a Resolution re the Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC Natural Gas Pipeline etc under PF14-1.” Continue reading At least put Sabal Trail on hold –Moultrie resolution →

Oregon citizen bursts pipeline company talking points

May 26, 2015Economy, Environment, LNG, Oregon, Solar, WaterEconomy, eminent domain, environment, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, LNG, LNG export, Oregon, Pacific Connector, Palmetto Project, pollution, property rights, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Water, Williams Company, windJohn S. Quarterman

An Oregonian thoroughly explodes the standard pipeline script:

“I guess we could stand having a 232-mile IED in our backyard if it is really benefits the public. But who, exactly, is the public here?”

His Canadian pipeline moguls are actually both from Houston, Texas: Williams Company with its Washington Expansion Project (WEP) getting its fracked methane from Spectra Energy’s Westcoast Pipeline. Oh, this is another Williams pipeline: Pacific Connector, going to the same Jordan Cover LNG export terminal as WEP. The same Williams Company of Transco’s Hillabee Expansion Project to feed Spectra Energy’s Sabal Trail pipeline. The same Sabal Trail that’s suing a Georgia Centennial Family Farm tomorrow in Moultrie, Georgia. All the pipeline companies seem to follow the same script, including Kinder Morgan for its Palmetto Pipeline. And this Oregonian answered for all of us facing pipeline invaders.

Diarmuid McGuire, Ashland Daily Tidings, 22 January 2015, Guest Opinion: We’re Oregonians, but we’re not stupid, Continue reading Oregon citizen bursts pipeline company talking points →

KMI playing same tricks for Palmetto as Sabal Trail did

May 22, 2015Corrosion, Georgia, Hazards, Law, PHMSA, Safety, WaterAiken County, corrosion, El Paso Pipeline, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, leaks, North Augusta, Open House, Palmetto Pipeline, PHMSA, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Savannah Riverkeeper, South Carolina, Southern Natural Gas, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Wall Street Journal, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

This meeting format sounds like the Open Houses Sabal Trail held to snow and bully landowners. And notice it’s always “80 percent survey approval”, yet we never get to see any list of landowners? Plus pipeline companies are always working to improve their safety record, except it never seems to improve. See below for some recent highlights of KMI’s long lack of safety record.

T.J. Lundeen, North Augusta Star, 21 May 2015, Palmetto Pipeline of confusion: Session in North Augusta leaves many baffled, Continue reading KMI playing same tricks for Palmetto as Sabal Trail did →