Tag Archives: California

The Empire Strikes Back: Spectra sues FL,GA,AL landowners

March 23, 2016Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Law, Osceola CountyAIM, Alabama, Algonquin, BK Ranches, Brenda Dykgraaf, California, Duke Energy, eminent domain, Florida, Four Corners, FPL, Georgia, Gerald McGratty, Greenpointe Communities, I-4, Intercession City, John S. Quarterman, Law, lawsuit, Osceola County, Porter Ranch, Reunion, Reunion Resort Golf Course, Sabal Trail Transmission, Southern California Gas Co., Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Walt Disney WorldJohn S. Quarterman

Reciting from the standard pipeline playbook, Spectra has started suing landowners. This while doughty rebels defeated 34 aye to 128 nay easements to drill under Georgia rivers, which could put a crimp in the Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail fracked methane boondoggle. Can we the people beat the Mickey Mouse fossil fuel empire?

Paul Brinkmann, Orlando Sentinel, 22 March 2016, Sabal Pipeline project files 160 eminent domain lawsuits,

The pipeline company insists that it already has federal and court authority to seize the property under the Natural Gas Act. Sabal claims its project must be under construction by June 21 and in service, by May 1, 2017.

Sabal Trail pipeline

According to maps provided by the utilities, the Sabal pipeline would come through the Four Corners area of northwestern Osceola County, dip south of Walt Disney World property, cross Interstate 4 near Celebration and connect with a hub of pipelines just west of Reunion Resort Golf Course.

The Greenpointe property is one of the biggest Continue reading The Empire Strikes Back: Spectra sues FL,GA,AL landowners →

NTSB tells PHMSA to fix its horrible pipeline safety methods

January 30, 2015California, Corrosion, Explosion, Florida, Hazards, Kentucky, Leak, New Jersey, PHMSA, SafetyAmerican Gas Association, California, corrosion, explosion, Federal Geographic Data Committee, Florida, Hazards, Interstate National Gas Association of America, John S. Quarterman, Kentucky, leak, National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives, New Jersey, NTSB, PHMSA, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Safety, SpectraBusters, US Department of TransportationJohn S. Quarterman

Tired of reporting on explosions unprevented by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). just issued a damning set of recommendations to PHMSA, plus to an alphabet soup of other organizations to ride herd on PHMSA to try to get some improvement. How about instead we stop building new pipelines and get on with solar power?

NTSB said its motivation was three recent explosions it reported: the 2009 Palm City, Florida flying pipeline that almost hit a high school, the 2010 San Bruno, California PG&E Pipeline Rupture and Fire, and the 2012 Sissonville, West Virginia I-75 house destruction, about which NTSB said:

These three accidents resulted in 8 fatalities, over 50 injuries, and 41 homes destroyed with many more damaged.

And NTSB reporting on PHMSA’s failures goes back way farther than that, Continue reading NTSB tells PHMSA to fix its horrible pipeline safety methods →

Protect our community from Sabal Trail –Beacon Baptist Church to Albany Mayor Hubbard

September 29, 2014California, Compressor, Dougherty County, Explosion, Kanawha County, Manitoba, Oklahoma, San Mateo County, West VirginiaAlbany, Beacon Baptist Church, California, Canada, compressor, Dorothy Hubbard, Dougherty County, explosion, John S. Quarterman, Jon Gosa, Kanawha County, Manitoba, Oklahoma, Otterburg, Rosston, Sabal Trail Transmission, San Bruno, San Mateo County, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, West Virginia, WinnipegJohn S. Quarterman

Received today. I added the links and illustrations and a few [notes]. -jsq

Copy of Letter sent to Albany Mayor Hubbard on behalf of Beacon Baptist Church opposing pipeline: Hello Mayor Hubbard,

I am writing to you on behalf of Beacon Baptist Church located at 5818 Newton Rd., Albany Ga. directly across from the proposed site for the Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy compressor station and pipeline route. We are asking you, as the Mayor of Albany, to take action in protecting our community by opposing the Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy pipeline. We have contacted County Commissioners and reached out to your office on several occasions about this issue. We have done extensive research compiling a list of some 6095 people across the US that have been negatively affected by Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy and other related pipelines. We have cited the numerous safety violations of Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy and the enormous fines that have been levied against them. It is our deep concern that after 51 years at our current location, Continue reading Protect our community from Sabal Trail –Beacon Baptist Church to Albany Mayor Hubbard →

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 →