Oppose Sabal Trail at FERC Albany, GA 2015-09-28

September 26, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Georgia, Health, SafetyAlbany, Albany Civic Center, asthma, autism, compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Georgia, headache, Health, John S. Quarterman, Minisink, mortality, New York, nosebleed, pregnancy, rash, Safety, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Rally against pipeline and compressor station September 28th, Monday 430pm at Albany Civic Center, sign up to speak at FERC hearing at 530pm, speak at FERC hearing starting at 6pm.

Please remember that scientific studies show that within one mile of a gas compressor station in New York, which is 1/4 the size of the one planned for Albany (meaning it will impact people within a 4 miles radius) , the following impacts on health were recorded:

asthma, nosebleeds, headaches, and rashes
elevated levels of formaldehyde, a carcinogen
increased mortality rate of persons over 65
double the risk of autism in expectant mothers in the third trimester

Some people think Continue reading Oppose Sabal Trail at FERC Albany, GA 2015-09-28 →

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 →

Call DNR board before Wednesday to stop river land giveaway to Sabal Trail

September 20, 2015Brooks County, Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Georgia, Lowndes County, Stewart County, WaterBrooks County, Chattahoochee River, Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Flint River, forestry, GA DNR, Georgia, Jeff Davis County, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Ochlockonee River, property rights, SpectraBusters, Stewart County, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Leases and permanent easements to cross the Chattahoochee River, Flint River, Ochlockonee River, and Withlacoochee River: that’s what the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Board proposes to vote on this Wednesday morning, in Atlanta, far from any of the proposed crossings or the directly affected counties, with no publ ic hearing and minimal public announcement. You can call them or send them email to ask them not to do that. Or show up in Atlanta 9AM Wednesday 23 September 2015 and speak; bring a written statement if you do that. Atlanta metro people, we need you to go to that meeting!

Agenda at this link. DNR board list at this link. DNR didn’t supply any contact information for its board members, but DNR’s own contact is: Continue reading Call DNR board before Wednesday to stop river land giveaway to Sabal Trail →

Kinder Morgan bolts from emergency planning meeting in Savannah

September 18, 2015Chatham County, Dougherty County, Florida, Georgia, LNG, Suwannee County, TexasAlbany, Chatham County, Coastal Group, Dougherty County, Elba Island, Florida, Georgia, Houston, John S. Quarterman, KC Allan, Kinder Morgan, KMI, LEPC, LNG, Local Emergency Planning Committee, Sabal Trail Transmission, Sierra Club, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, TECO, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

The world’s largest pipeline company ran away from a hint of public scrutiny, like FERC changed its commission meeting date to try to avoid protesters. Maybe… public opinion matters?

The pipeline companies are watching all the opposition. And the opposition is shadowing all the pipeline companies. Score one for the opposition! Plus plenty of opportunities coming up for more concerted opposition against any new fossil fuel tentacles through our countryside or under our rivers.

Mary Landers, Savannah Morning News, 16 September 2015, Kinder Morgan cancels ‘spotlight’ on Elba operations, Continue reading Kinder Morgan bolts from emergency planning meeting in Savannah →

FERC sides with Sabal Trail in DEIS: Surprise!

September 14, 2015Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Suwannee County, WaterAir, Albany, Beyond Extreme Energy, BXE, Carlton Fletcher, DEIS, Department of Environmental Protection, Dinorah Hall, Dougherty County, Draft Environmental Impact Statement, environment, fast, FERC, FL-DEP, Georgia, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, John Trallo, Pope Francis, Sane Energy Project, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Anybody who thought FERC would do a real Draft Environmental Impact Statement is disappointed. But they shouldn’t be surprised: FERC, 100% funded by the industries they “regulate”, is a rubberstamp machine. But that’s no reason to give up. It’s reason to stand up, and take advantage of many more opportunities to stop the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail pipeline and get on with renewable solar and wind power.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 13 September 2015, FERC Sabal Trail ruling comes amidst protest: Group holds fasting vigil outside federal agency’s offices,

ALBANY — Even as a group started a fast in front of the agency’s Washington, D.C., offices and questions arose in Florida over the safety record of Spectra Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission made it clear this week that it had no intention of standing in the way of construction of the proposed Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Local opponents Continue reading FERC sides with Sabal Trail in DEIS: Surprise! →

Meeting in Savannah about Elba Island LNG

September 14, 2015Chatham County, Georgia, LNGChatham County, Coastal Group, Elba Island, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Sierra Club, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Oppose one fossil fuel boondoggle; oppose them all. KMI also has applied for a FERC permit to build a pipeline from Suwannee County, FL to Jacksonville, which is gearing up for LNG export. That KMI application says Sabal Trail can connect if it wants to.

Coastal Group of the Georgia Sierra Club, on facebook, today, ATTEND THIS PUBLIC MEETING IF YOU CAN!

This will be our opportunity learn about Texas energy giant Kinder Morgan’s disaster plan for the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal at Elba Island. If permitted to come online, 4 million metric tons of LNG would be processed by, and exported from, the facility annually—in close proximity to densely populated neighborhoods at the mouth of Savannah’s port. A worst-case event would be extremely destructive to lives, property, and the environment.

DATE: Wednesday, September 16, 10:00AM
LOCATION: Savannah Civic Center, 301 W Oglethorpe Ave, Savannah, GA 31401
http://lepc.com/events/september-2015-lepc-meeting/

-jsq

Shale prices driving down production and investment –Financial Times

September 8, 2015Economy, FrackingEconomy, Fracking, investment, John S. Quarterman, price, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

The financial industry is losing patience with the fossil fuel industry.

Ed Crooks, Financial Times, 6 September 2015, Falling oil prices put groups with high costs under severe financial strain,

The world may run on oil, but the oil industry runs on capital, and for US shale producers that capital is starting to dry up. Continue reading Shale prices driving down production and investment –Financial Times →

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 →

Still more fracked methane leaks –NYTimes

September 5, 2015LeakJohn S. Quarterman, leak, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Every new pipeline adds to leaks from every part of the fracked methane chain. Ever heard of a leaking solar panel? No new pipelines. Solar power now. You can help stop Spectra Energy from Houston, Texas from gouging its 36-inch Sabal Trail pipeline across Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

John Schwartz, NYTimes, 18 August 2015, Methane Leaks in Natural-Gas Supply Chain Far Exceed Estimates, Study Says

A little-noted portion of the chain of pipelines and equipment that brings natural gas from the field into power plants and homes is responsible for a surprising amount of methane emissions, according to a study published on Tuesday.

Natural-gas gathering facilities, which Continue reading Still more fracked methane leaks –NYTimes →

FERC meetings for Draft Environmental Impact Statement 28 Sep 2015 – 8 Oct 2015

September 5, 2015Alabama, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazardsagenda, Alabama, DEIS, Draft Environmental Impact Statement, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Hazards, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Meetings, Nathan Deal, need, public benefit, Sabal Trail Transmission, schedule, SpectraBusters, STT, Transco, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Two weeks for all the public meetings, rushing to make the 20 November 2015 final EIS notice date, for a final decision 18 February 2016.

The Draft EIS released Friday 4 September 2015 is very long, but the most basic question is very short: why is FERC rushing to rubberstamp the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail pipeline and its fracked methane siblings Hillabee Transco and FSC when there’s neither need nor public benefit?

The Sunshine State should go straight to solar power.

If you don’t want any of these pipelines, you can send in your comments both to FERC and to state and local agencies and elected officials in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama, and show up at these FERC meetings to protest. You can also still file a motion to intervene with FERC. And don’t forget to call Georgia Gov. Deal.

Filed with FERC 4 September 2015 as Accession Number: 20150904-3011, “Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Southeast Market Pipelines Project re Florida Southeast Connection, LLC et al under CP14-554 et al.” Continue reading FERC meetings for Draft Environmental Impact Statement 28 Sep 2015 – 8 Oct 2015 →