Tag Archives: Chattahoochee River

SpectraBusters Allies cited as why Sabal Trail may fail

April 1, 2016Alabama, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Law, PoliticsAllies, Chattahoochee River, Duke Energy, easements, Flint River, FPL, Irina Slav, Kinder Morgan, KMI, legislature, OilPrice, Palmetto Pipeline, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, Suwannee River, Tyler Durden, Withlacoochee River, zerohedgeJohn S. Quarterman

SpectraBusters allies were just called out by fossil fuel industry publication OilPrice, and by notorious financial blog Zerohedge, as reasons why Sabal Trail may lose.

Irina Slav, OilPrice, 31 March 2016, Gas Pipeline Uses 160 Eminent Domain Suits To Get Property In 3 States, picked up by “Tyler Durden”, Zerohedge.com, 1 April 2016,

Eminent domain is a tough pill to swallow for Americans who take their property rights very seriously, and the aggressive moves by Sabal Trail to seize property for a natural gas pipeline running through three southern states is turning into a drama of immense proportions.

The rest is the best story I’ve seen about Continue reading SpectraBusters Allies cited as why Sabal Trail may fail →

Please call your GA state rep. today to keep Sabal Trail out

March 22, 2016Georgia, Law, Solaraquifer, Chattahoochee River, conservation, FERC, Flint River, Floridan Aquifer, Georgia, House of Representatives, John S. Quarterman, Law, Okapilco Creek, pipeline, river, Sabal Trail, Santa Fe River, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, SR 954, Suwannee River, watershed, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

They’re voting today. Here’s who to call to ask to vote No on SR 954. And below is why. If you don’t live in Georgia, you probably know somebody who does: please ask them to call their GA state rep.

John S. Quarterman, Valdosta Daily Times, today, 22 March 2016, Still possible to keep Sabal Trail out,

After two years going to Sabal Trail open houses and FERC scoping meetings, filing e-comments, guiding them to the river crossings and a legal hearing in Jasper, FERC still tells us customers for Spectra Energy from Houston, Texas, constitute a need that outweighs local property rights, environmental destruction, and hazards to our Withlacoochee and Suwannee rivers and the Floridan Aquifer, and to taxes, life, and limb.

Yet Georgia is the fastest-growing U.S. solar market, while solar Continue reading Please call your GA state rep. today to keep Sabal Trail out →

Keep calling to strip Sabal Trail easements from SR 954 in the GA House

March 17, 2016Georgia, Solaraquifer, Chattahoochee River, conservation, FERC, Flint River, Floridan Aquifer, Georgia, House of Representatives, John S. Quarterman, Okapilco Creek, pipeline, river, Sabal Trail, Santa Fe River, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, SR 954, Suwannee River, watershed, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Sabal Trail’s allies have failed three times to pass this bill! Please keep calling your state legislators so they will stay strong voting against SR 954 until Sabal Trail and Transco easements are taken out of it. The next vote is scheuduled for Tuesday, March 22nd, so please call them through the weekend.

If you don’t live in Georgia, you probably know somebody who does, so you can ask them to call their Georgia state rep. to stop easements for Sabal Trail to drill under the Chattahoochee, Flint, Ochlockonee, and Withlacoochee Rivers, and Okapilco and Hannahatchee Creeks. Stop it in Georgia, and that will stop it in Florida and Alabama!

Follow this link for all the Georgia statehouse members in the pipeline path. Or type in Continue reading Keep calling to strip Sabal Trail easements from SR 954 in the GA House →

Movie online: At What Cost? Pipelines, Pollution and Eminent Domain in the Rural South

February 13, 2016Corruption, Economy, Environment, Ethics, Law, Solaraquifer, Brooks County, Chattahoochee River, Colquitt County, conservation, eminent domain, environment, Flint River, Floridan Aquifer, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, landowners, Law, Live Oak, Live Oak Womans Club, Lowndes County, Mark Albertin, north Florida, Ochlockonee River, Okapilco Creek, Palmetto Pipeline, pipeline, pollution, private property, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Santa Fe River, south Georgia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE, watershed, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Now streaming online: At What Cost? Pipelines, Pollution and Eminent Domain in the Rural South, by Mark Albertin. And yes, he’s happy for it to be shown elsewhere; just ask, and you can set up a local viewing like in Live Oak last night, or the previous premieres along the Georgia coast.

Most of the issues are the same for Spectra Energy’s invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline as for Kinder Morgan’s invading Palmetto petroleum products pipeline that is the subject of the movie. Thanks to Push Back the Pipeline for getting this movie made about Kinder Morgan’s proposed petroleum products pipeline from South Carolina across the Georgia coast to Jacksonville, Florida. Special thanks to Eileen, Lori, and Debra and the Woman’s Club of Live Oak for the movie showing last night, to WWALS Watershed Coalition and the Woman’s Club of Live Oak for hosting, and to Our Santa Fe River, and Gulf Restoration Network for helping promote it.

Don’t forget the hike to the Suwannee River Sabal Trail crossing 8:15 AM Thursday 28 February 2016 with Suwannee and Hamilton County Commissioners.

Spectra Energy of Houston, Texas wants to gouge Sabal Trail from Continue reading Movie online: At What Cost? Pipelines, Pollution and Eminent Domain in the Rural South →

Sabal Trail not on GA State Properties Commission Agenda

October 17, 2015Georgia, LawChattahoochee River, Flint River, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, Nathan Deal, Ochlockonee River, Okapilco Creek, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, State Properties Commission, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

The Georgia State Properties Commission agenda for Wednesday has nothing on it about Sabal Trail or easements under Georgia rivers. So the river land giveaway by the GA DNR board last month will not be confirmed this month. So there’s more time to contact the SPC board to stop Sabal Trail from crossing the Withlacoochee River, Okapilco Creek, Ochlockonee River, Flint River, and Chattahoochee River.

SPC doesn’t provide any contacts for their board members, but here are their main contacts:

270 Washington Street, Suite 2-129
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
www.howsmyservice.spc.ga.gov
Steve Stancil, State Property Officer, 404-656-3253
Marvin Woodward, Deputy State Property Officer, 404-463-5608
Frank Smith, Deputy Executive Director, 404-656-5602

And we know how to reach the governor’s office: (404) 656-1776.

Somebody should go Continue reading Sabal Trail not on GA State Properties Commission Agenda →

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 →

Why Georgia Doesn’t Need the Palmetto Pipeline –Poets Love Birds

May 4, 2015Economy, Environment, FERC, Georgia, WaterAltamaha River, Chattahoochee River, Economy, environment, FERC, Flint River, Florida Aquifer, Georgia, greed, John S. Quarterman, karst, Kinder Morgan, limestone, Ogeechee River, Palmetto Pipeline, Sabal Trail Transmission, Santa Fe River, Satilla River, Savannah River, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, St. Mary's River, Suwannee River, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

The Suwannee River faces invasion by both Kinder Morgan’s Palmetto petroleum products pipeline and Spectra Energy’s Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline. Plus the Savannah, Ogeechee, Altamaha, Satilla, and St. Mary’s River are threatened by the Palmetto Project, Chattahoochee, Flint, Withlacoochee, and Santa Fe Rivers are threatened by Sabal Trail, plus most both projects is above the fragile Floridan Aquifer. All for no known local benefit; just to profit corporate greed.

Curtis and Norma Beaird, Poets Love Birds, 30 April 2015, Why Georgia Doesn’t Need the Palmetto Pipeline: Our Filing to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC),

We are writing this article because we are very concerned about the proposed Palmetto Pipeline to be built in the state of Georgia. Kinder Morgan plans to build 360-mile pipeline that will run from Belton, South Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida. According to the Savannah Riverkeeper, 218 miles of the pipeline will be in Georgia and 142 miles of the pipeline will be built in South Carolina. This pipeline would move refined petroleum products, to include denatured fuel ethanol. …
According to Push Back the Pipeline:

In the continental U.S., there are only 42 free-flowing rivers greater than 124 miles in length. Georgia contains five of these rivers, three of which are in the path of the proposed pipeline, Altamaha, Ogeechee, and Satilla Rivers. The Okefenokee Swamp is also the headwaters of the St. Marys and the Suwanee River, which flows to the Gulf of Mexico.

Georgia also contains most of the free-flowing 205-mile Alapaha River, which fortunately isn’t currently the target of any pipeline. However, Spectra Energy proposes to gouge its Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline under the 115-mile Withlacoochee River in Georgia. And Sabal Trail would cross the Suwannee River in Florida, so the Suwannee is a target of both pipelines: Palmetto in Georgia, and Sabal Trail in Florida.

Here’s Curtis Beaird’s FERC filing, which notes that Kinder Morgan has not proven any need Continue reading Why Georgia Doesn’t Need the Palmetto Pipeline –Poets Love Birds →

What Sabal Trail wants to do to our rivers

February 5, 2015Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hazard, Hazards, History, Noise, Safety, Wateraquifer, Black Warrior River, Cahaba River, Chattahoochee River, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Coosa River, Dirty Dozen, drilling, Flint River, Flint Riverkeeper, Floridan Aquifer, frac-out, Georgia Water Coalition, Hazards, HDD, Horizontal Directional Drilling, John S. Quarterman, Ochlockonee River, Our Santa Fe River, Sabal Trail Transmission, Santa Fe River, sinkhole, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee River, Tallapoosa River, Tombigbee River, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

After a long string of safety incidents and later-contradicted assertions in the media, would you trust Sabal Trail to drill under your rivers in your aquifers and near your farms, schools, homes, and springs?

Here’s stage two of Sabal Trail’s three-stage horizontal directional drilling (HDD) method, according to its document How We Cross Rivers and Streams,

The second stage involves enlarging the pilot hole to a diameter that will accommodate the pipeline. The enlargement process involves the use of hydraulic cutting with drill bits and jet nozzles and hydraulic motors Continue reading What Sabal Trail wants to do to our rivers →

Sinkholes and compressor hazardous waste: motion to intervene against Sabal Trail –GCCC

December 29, 2014Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Georgia, Law, WaterAlbany, Chattahoochee River, compressor, Dougherty County, environment, FERC, Flint River, GCCC, Georgia, Georgia Climate Change Coalition, John S. Quarterman, Law, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Sinkholes opening under the Flint or Chattahoochee Rivers, more hazardous waste from the proposed Albany, Georgia compressor station, these are a few of the things the Georgia Climate Change Coalition moved to intervene to prevent Sabal Trail Transmission from doing wiht its proposed pipeline.

It is highly likely that this pipeline would suffer from malfunction and damage, as the region it would cross is typically prone to the spontaneous opening of sink holes, such that would cause an infrastructure project of this type to fail….
The construction and operation of the compressor facility in Albany Georgia would contribute to the hazardous waste produced by Georgia’s existing electricity infrastructure.

Here’s how to file a motion to intervene with FERC.

GCCC filed with FERC 26 December 2014 as Accession Number: 20141226-5005, “(doc-less) Motion to Intervene of Georgia Climate Change Coalition under CP15-17, et. al..”

Submission Description: (doc-less) Motion to Intervene of Georgia Climate Change Coalition under CP15-17-000, et. al..
Submission Date: 12/24/2014 10:56:07 PM
Filed Date: 12/26/2014 8:30:00 AM
Dockets
CP15-17-000 Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC submits its Abbreviated Application for Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity and Related Authorizations for the Sabal Trail Project – Volumes I, III, and IV. CP15-16-000 Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC submits an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for its Hillabee Expansion Project CP14-554-000 Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and for Related Authorizations of Florida Southeast Connection, LLC under CP14-
Filing Party/Contacts: Filing Party, Signer (Representative), Other Contact (Principal)
Georgia Climate Change Coalition athenscompost@gmail.com
Basis for Intervening:
The Georgia Climate Change Coalition seeks to intervene in the permitting process of the Sabal Trail Transmissions natural gas pipeline because of many obvious threats the construction poses to our natural environment in Georgia, and in other states as well. In Georgia the Sabal Trail pipeline would cross both the Flint and the Chattahoochee Rivers, and their watersheds. The Flint river is the most endangered river in Georgia. Construction of the pipeline would greatly disturb these water systems. Both these river systems provides drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people as well as providing wildlife habitat.
It is highly likely that this pipeline would suffer from malfunction and damage, as the region it would cross is typically prone to the spontaneous opening of sink holes, such that would cause an infrastructure project of this type to fail. The region is known as the Karst limestone aquatic system, and the aquifer would be polluted by a natural gas spill from this pipeline.
Another pressing concern of the Georgia Climate Change Coalition regards the proposed compressor station in Albany Georgia. As a statewide coalition we are concerned with the effects of climate change and pollution on Georgia as a whole. We are most concerned by the fact that the facility would operate on electricity generated by Georgia’s coal-fired power grid. Georgia is home to the dirtiest coal fired power plants in our nation, and is among the ten dirtiest places in the world due to the particulate ash and water pollution generated by our coal fired power plants. The construction and operation of the compressor facility in Albany Georgia would contribute to the hazardous waste produced by Georgia’s existing electricity infrastructure.

-jsq

Sabal Trail invites you to an Open House in Jasper, Florida

October 14, 2014Environment, FERC, Florida, Hamilton County, LNG, WaterChattahoochee River, Chris Mericle, Deanna Mericle, environment, FERC, Flint River, Florida, Florida Gateway Golf & Country Club, Floridan Aquifer, FPL, Hamilton County, Jasper, John S. Quarterman, karst, limestone, Sabal Trail Transmission, Santa Fe River, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee River, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Sabal Trail invites the public to an Open House about a Withlacoochee Alternative that would avoid the Withlacoochee River in Hamilton County, Florida.

Update 2014-10-15: SpectraBusters facebook event and Sabal Trail new route alternatives filing.

Maybe you’d like to ask them how about avoiding the Withlacoochee River in Lowndes County, Georgia? Or about those three already-authorized LNG export operations right where that pipeline leads. How about why all seven proposed paths would cross the Suwannee River into Suwannee County, Florida? How about asking them not to cross the Santa Fe River, the Suwannee River, the Flint, or the Chattahoochee? Hm, that might mean there’s no path for their pipeline….

Tuesday, October 21, 2014
5:00pm — 7:30pm
Florida Gateway Golf & Country Club
8055 U.S. Highway 129 South, Jasper, Florida 32052

Most of it’s the usual STT boilerplate, plus this: Continue reading Sabal Trail invites you to an Open House in Jasper, Florida →