Tag Archives: Alabama

Williams Company formal filing CP15-16 for Hillabee Expansion Project

Transco’s formal FERC filing of 18 November 2014 isn’t online and the visible “supplement” is almost entirely privileged and hidden from the public, with no new maps or any other new information visible to the public. Why? Because Transco’s ability to compete is more important to FERC than the public’s right to know what this invader from Houston wants to do to local lands:

“These hydraulic flow model files models are proprietary and include competitively sensitive data regarding Transco’s market-area system design and flow conditions, disclosure of which to Transco’s competitors could cause substantial harm to Transco’s continuing ability to compete for new markets and firm transportation commitments.

So, as predicted, Transco has filed, and PF14-6 is of no further use, replaced by Docket number CP15-16.

Accession Number: 20141119-5018, “Supplement to November 18, 2014 Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC application for a CP&N [Hillabee Expansion Project – Hydraulic Flow Model Files] under CP15-16.” is quoted below, and Accession Number: 20141119-5019 has twelve (12) PDF files all marked “PRIVILEGED – Transco ? Hillabee Expansion Project ? Supplemental Information”.

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC
Continue reading Williams Company formal filing CP15-16 for Hillabee Expansion Project

FERC recovers cost of operations through charges and fees from the industries it regulates –FERC FY14 Budget

Don’t believe FERC is funded by the industries it regulates? Well, let’s look beyond FERC’s own About web page to its actual funding request to Congress. Maybe that will motivate you to ecomment to FERC right now, and to contact your local, state, and national elected and appointed officials.

Acting Chairman Cheryl A. LaFleur, FEDERAL  ENERGY  REGULATORY  COMMISSION, FY 2015 Congressional Performance Budget Request,

Full Cost Recovery

The Commission recovers the full cost of its operations through annual charges and filing fees assessed on the industries it regulates as authorized by the Federal Power Act (FPA) and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. The Commission deposits this revenue into the Treasury as a direct offset to its appropriation, resulting in no net appropriation.

Clear enough that FERC is 100% funded by the industries it regulates?

That may seem like a win for the taxpayers. But is it a win for you the local landowners Continue reading FERC recovers cost of operations through charges and fees from the industries it regulates –FERC FY14 Budget

Alabama Sierra Club Retreat talk against Sabal Trail

At the Alabama Sierra Club Retreat this weekend at Lakepoint State Park near Eufaula, I’ll be speaking and doing Q&A for an hour: 10AM Saturday 1 November 2014. If you’re anywhere near Eufaula, Alabama this weekend, I highly recommend coming to this retreat: it’s got lots of great talks and activities.

What do you important points do you think I should mention? What graphics can you send me to include in the slides? No rush: leaving Friday morning, so if you could get me your materials by tomorrow (Thursday), that would be great.

FYI, I will be talking about at least Continue reading Alabama Sierra Club Retreat talk against Sabal Trail

Lack of need, false pretense, and duress: FERC omitted page 3 from Bill Kendall’s letter

It’s integrated into the previous post now. It’s well worth reading.

See also Bill and Nanci Kendall quoted in the VDT with protest signs.

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Sabal Trail to TECO to Jaxport for LNG export?

Marcellus Shale fracked methane through Atlantic Sunrise to Transco to Sabal Trail to TECO to Jaxport for LNG export? And maybe an explanation for why Sempra Energy, like Spectra Energy, donated to both GA Gov. Nathan Deal’s and AL Gov. Robert Bentley’s re-election campaigns. Sempra apparently wants to export Marcellus Shale gas from Jacksonville, and Sabal Trail is the proposed conduit for that through Alabama and Georgia to Florida.

John Burr wrote for Jacksonville Business Journal 10 March 2014, TECO Peoples Gas looks to expand natural gas pipeline to Jacksonville, Continue reading Sabal Trail to TECO to Jaxport for LNG export?

Transco plans FERC filing “in the next month or so”

Sabal Trail’s source of fracked methane plans to file with FERC real soon now. Williams Company’s Transco Hillabee Expansion Project doesn’t admit it’s late like Sabal Trail, nor mention that it already blew up in 2011. Nor that the same Williams spokesperson is pushing the Atlantic Sunrise project that would feed fracked Marcellus shale gas to Transco for Sabal Trail and on to three already-approved LNG export operations in Florida.

Mitch Sneed wrote for Alexander City Outloook 18 October 2014, Natural gas pipeline plans moving forward, Continue reading Transco plans FERC filing “in the next month or so”

Sabal Trail delays formal FERC filing until “sometime later this year”

Sabal Trail has backed off its end-of-October FERC filing target, now saying “sometime later this year”. Opposition is having some effects!

Robert Hudson wrote for alexcityOutlook.com 1 October 2014, in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, where Sabal Trail proposes to start its hundred-foot gouge through three states, Company preparing to submit natural gas pipeline application to FERC, Continue reading Sabal Trail delays formal FERC filing until “sometime later this year”

Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent and Route Alternatives

A FERC comment period ending 15 November 2014 seems to mean Sabal Trail will miss its 31 October formal filing date. 300x391 Withlacoochee River Crossing Route Alternative, Hamilton and Suwannee Counties, Florida (bare), in Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent, by John S. Quarterman, for SpectraBusters.org, 15 October 2014 No relief suggested for crossing the Withlacoochee River at the border of Brooks and Lowndes Counties, Georgia (or inside Lowndes County next to Valdosta, according to several of the previous alternatives). And every proposed path still crosses the Suwannee River into Suwannee County.

Maybe that’s because the Dougherty County Commission and the Albany City Council actually stood up for their citizens, as did Gilchrist County (see Wacassassa Flats Alternative), while the Suwannee County Commission swallowed Sabal Trail disinformation and the Lowndes County Commission and the Valdosta City Council did little (except one letter from the Chairman) or nothing (except one letter from one Council member).

300x131 Sasser Route Alternative, Albany Compressor station Alternatives, Terrell, Lee, and Dougherty Counties. Georgia (bottom), in Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent, by John S. Quarterman, for SpectraBusters.org, 15 October 2014 There’s still time for Dougherty, Lowndes, and all the other counties and cities to pass ordinances, and to lobby state and federal agencies and elected and appointed officials. Oh, and there’s an election going on.

Also no mention of Sabal Trail’s Jasper, Florida Open House, 5-7:30 Tuesday 21 October 2014, but STT’s newspaper notice said the public is invited, so y’all come!

Filed with FERC today, 15 October 2014, Supplemental Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environment Impact Statement for the Planned Southeast Market Pipeline Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues etc. re Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC under PF14-1.

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Docket No. PF14-1-000

Continue reading Sabal Trail Notice of EIS Intent and Route Alternatives

Sabal Trail opposition gets national media attention

The AP finally picked up on opposition, newspapers and TV stations from San Francisco to Washington, DC and from Utah and Chicago to Miami picked up the AP story that same day, including Spectra Energy’s home town of Houston, Texas, plus Canada and New Zealand, followed by the Valdosta Daily Times today, for at least 27 stories total.

Ray Henry wrote for AP Saturday 11 October 2014, New $3.7B gas line proposed for Ala., Ga., Fla.,

ATLANTA (AP)—A proposal to build a $3.7 billion pipeline system carrying natural gas into Florida is raising complaints from Georgia residents—including media mogul Ted Turner—who say they’d face environmental costs while others get the benefits.

He quoted Gloria Gaines of Albany. He also mentioned Duke’s proposed Citrus County plant without mentioning that Duke has repeatedly said it doesn’t need Sabal Trail. And he didn’t mention LNG export. But he did list quite a few opponents, and he included this:

NextEra, Spectra or their related political committees have donated several thousand dollars to politicians, including Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.

Picking up the AP story that same day were: Continue reading Sabal Trail opposition gets national media attention

It don’t pass the smell test: FPL’s extra natural gas pipeline –SpectraBusters

FPL wants federal eminent domain to gouge a hundred-foot right of way for a yard-wide fracked methane pipeline through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, claiming Florida needs new power. That don’t pass the smell test.
http://spectrabusters.org/2014/09/14/we-grow-increasingly-concerned-dougherty-county-commission-to-ferc/

Nationwide electricity demand continues to decline, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reminded the pipeline-permitting Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in April. EPA asked FPL why it couldn’t implement conservation, efficiency, compressed gas storage, or other energy sources. http://spectrabusters.org/2014/04/23/explain-why-the-gas-is-needed-epa-to-ferc/#decreasing-electricity-sales

FPL projected 13% electricity demand increase in its 2014 ten-year plan to the Florida Public Service Commission (FL PSC). A third pipeline would be a 50% increase. Why? http://spectrabusters.org/2014/04/24/fpls-own-projections-dont-support-need-for-a-new-pipeline/

Sabal Trail, the pipeline joint venture of FPL and Spectra Energy of Houston, claims Duke Energy needs Continue reading It don’t pass the smell test: FPL’s extra natural gas pipeline –SpectraBusters