Tag Archives: FERC

Departing PHMSA Administrator has let regulated companies determine testing as LNG exports increase

September 25, 2014Economy, Explosion, FE, FERC, Fracking, Hazards, Leak, LNG, New York, PHMSA, SafetyCynthia Quarterman, Economy, explosion, FE, FERC, Fracking, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, leak, LNG, New York, PHMSA, Safety, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

PHMSA Administrator Rather than stopping leaks and explosions, Cynthia L. Quarterman (no relation) seems to spend a lot of time testifying before Congress, see for example these CSPAN videos. Maybe now that “market forces” are shifting away from fossil fuels, instead of chasing the white whale of pipelines for fracked methane to LNG export, we can get a new PHMSA Administrator who will do something about the lax safety of the pipelines we’ve got while we get on with shifting to sun, wind, and water power.

James F. Bowe, Jr. and Sara E. Peters wrote for Energy Newsletter, March 2014, Congress Probes Crude by Rail Safety Developments; Voluntary Industry-Regulator Agreement Addresses Safety Concerns, Continue reading Departing PHMSA Administrator has let regulated companies determine testing as LNG exports increase →

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 →

Sabal Trail Response to FERC directive of 26 August 2014

September 17, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Lowndes County, WaterAlabama, Andrea Grover, Chris Mericle, Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, John Peconom, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Would it or wouldn’t it cross the Withlacoochee River in Florida? (It certainly would in Georgia by 4 out of 5 proposed paths.) And Sabal Trail poo-poohed all four of Greenlaw’s suggested Alternatives, but FERC could still require any one of them. Here are Sabal Trail’s own maps of Greenlaw Alternatives 1-4:

Continue reading Sabal Trail Response to FERC directive of 26 August 2014 →

We grow increasingly concerned –Dougherty County Commission to FERC

September 14, 2014Compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Georgia, Health, Law, Safetycompressor, Dinorah Hall, Dougherty County, Dougherty County Commission, Down Home Plantation, FERC, Georgia, Health, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

All members of the Dougherty County Commission signed a letter saying “we grow increasingly concerned” that FERC and Sabal Trail aren’t listening to concerns of Dougherty County citizens. And that was after one August meeting of citizens discussing and opposing that fracked methane pipeline; Dougherty County citizens have held at least four such meetings by now. Maybe the Dougherty County Commission would like to take legal action by passing a land-use ordinance regulating pipelines. many other County Commissions that are going to be affected by And maybe the Alternative 1, Alternative 2, or Alternative 3 if the pipeline gets moved from its current proposed path might want to also take action.

Here are images of the pages the Dougherty County Commission sent to FERC 5 September 2014, starting with the two pages of the Commission’s letter dated 25 August 2014, three pages of a stakeholder writeup signed by Dinorah Hall, two pages not depicted that were broken TIFFs, but presumably contained the 13 August 2014 Albany Herald story about the South Dougherty League meeting, and a Limited Warrantee Deed dated 24 May 2014 transferring 79.184 acres from Down Home Plantation LLC to Sabal Trail Transmission LLC, which. the Dougherty County Commission guesses is for a compressor station.

It’s not like that land transfer is a secret. Searching for Sabal Trail in Continue reading We grow increasingly concerned –Dougherty County Commission to FERC →

FERC dismissed Strom Starke LNG for lack of fee payment

September 14, 2014Bradford County, FE, FERC, Florida, LNGBradford County, CP14-121, Debra Johnson, fee, FERC, Florida, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Santa Fe River, SpectraBusters, StarkeJohn S. Quarterman

One thing up with which even FERC will not put is a late filing fee! FERC warned Strom about that $24,260 filing fee on 21 July 2014. One month and one day later, FERC called the whole thing off. But don’t assume that means Strom is giving up: it may be back with another try for Starke, in Bradford County, Florida, in the Santa Fe River watershed and a short truck drive to the St Johns River watershed. And remember three other Florida LNG export operations already have authorization from DoE’s Office of Fossil Energy.

Debra Johnson found this FERC Strom denial. It was also noted by Ted Monroe in LNG Industry 1 September 2014, FERC dismisses Strom LNG petition, Continue reading FERC dismissed Strom Starke LNG for lack of fee payment →

Is the Sabal Trail pipeline necessary? –Lori McCraney

September 12, 2014FERC, Hamilton County, Hazards, Law, Safety, Suwannee County, WaterFERC, Hamilton County, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lori McCraney, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee Alliance for Sustainable Growth, Suwannee County, Suwannee Democrat, Suwannee River, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Lori McCraney of  Suwannee Alliance for Sustainable Growth wrote in the Suwannee Democrat 11 September 2014, Guest commentary — Is the Sabal Trail pipeline necessary?

I am pleased that the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners has issued a resolution challenging the location of the Sabal Trail pipeline in the vicinity of the Withlacoochee River. Hamilton County resident Chris Mericle did an excellent job of explaining the risks of locating the pipeline in such fragile karst terrain. Sable Trails LLC quickly responded by saying that it will move the crossing to the west, possibly crossing the Suwannee River somewhere near the Suwannee River State Park.

The same problems still exist with tunneling under the Withlacoochee River in Lowndes County, Georgia and tunneling under the Suwannee River at two locations in Suwannee County. As Mr. Mericle explained about drilling under our rivers, “The horizontal directional drilling could intersect spring conduits, affect spring well flows, and ultimately river base flow. Grouting in this cavernous, Continue reading Is the Sabal Trail pipeline necessary? –Lori McCraney →

Citizens meet against Spectra’s Algonquin pipeline

September 10, 2014Connecticut, Economy, FERC, Massachusetts, New York, Putnam County, Safety, WestchesterAIM, Algonquin Incremental Market, Caithness II, Concerned Peekskill Residents, Connecticut, CPR, Economy, FERC, John S. Quarterman, Long Island, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, PSEG, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, SAPE, Searsmont, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Steckman Ridge, Stop the Algonquin Pipeline ExpansionJohn S. Quarterman

Safety, property values, insurance, schools: same concerns about Spectra’s Algonquin pipeline as about its Sabal Trail pipeline. Plus Algonquin runs by the safety-paper-forging Indian Point nuke! Nothing to worry about, says Spectra’s Marylee Hanley, same as she said about that compressor leak at Steckman Ridge, and same as Spectra said about Searsmont, Maine, where residents say they were lied to. New York residents aren’t buying that; they don’t want their property and lives risked for LNG export profit. They already had 50 people in a meeting in July, and they’re doing more. And FERC has actually denied a Spectra Algonquin pipeline permit before; time to do it again!

Lanning Taliaferro wrote for Ossining-Croton-on-Hudson Patch 25 August 2014, Opponents Set Sept. 3, 4, 13 Info Sessions on Natural Gas Pipeline Project,

Residents and elected officials throughout Westchester and Putnam Continue reading Citizens meet against Spectra’s Algonquin pipeline →

Duke withdraws Suwannee and Polk plant plans

August 30, 2014Economy, FERC, Florida, Polk County, Solar, Suwannee Countyconservation, Duke Energy, Duval County, Economy, efficiency, FERC, Florida, John S. Quarterman, Polk County, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee CountyJohn S. Quarterman

Opposition to the Sabal Trail pipeline may be having more widespread effects. The same day FERC told Sabal Trail to pay attention to karst limestone sinkhole opposition, Duke announced it wasn’t going to “modernize” that plant. Two days later, Sabal Trail told one of that opposition that it was considering moving its Suwannee River crossing upstream, that is, away from Duke’s Suwannee Plant, Coincidence?

Ivan Penn wrote for Tampa Bay Times 26 August 2014, In flip-flop, Duke Energy will buy existing power plant, not build one, Continue reading Duke withdraws Suwannee and Polk plant plans →

FPL to purchase NextEra gas fracking subsidiary in Oklahoma

August 30, 2014Alabama, Economy, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, LNG, Martin County, SolarAlabama, Debra Johnson, Economy, Ethics, FE, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, Floridian LNG, FPL, FSC, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, LNG, LNG export, Martin County, NextEra Energy, NextEra Energy Gas Producing, NextEra Energy Resources, Oklahoma, PetroQuest, Riviera Beach, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, SpectraBusters, Transco, Williams Company, Woodford Shale, WSGP Gas ProducingJohn S. Quarterman

FPL integrated ownership of fracking and pipelines to LNG export for its profit, at the expense of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida landowners, U.S. natural gas customers, and of course FPL ratepayers: that’s what FPL is hoping to wrap up at the Florida PSC.

FPL wants to buy the 50% its parent NextEra Energy bought of “independent” PetroQuest’s Oklahoma fracking operation back in 2010 before FPL put out its December 2012 RFP for what ended up being the Transco -> Sabal Trail -> FSC methane pipeline to Martin County, Florida, plus an FPL pipeline from there to the sea at Riviera Beach. where meanwhile three LNG export operations have been authorized and a fourth LNG export operation has reqeusted a permit from FERC.

FPL’s PR of 25 June 2014 doesn’t mention most of the above, not even that NextEra already owns half of PetroQuest’s Oklahoma fracking operation. FPL proposes innovative plan to invest in natural gas to save customers millions of dollars and lower long-term fuel costs, Continue reading FPL to purchase NextEra gas fracking subsidiary in Oklahoma →

Avoid the Withlacoochee River and karst limestone –Hamilton Co. FL to FERC

August 26, 2014FERC, Florida, Hamilton County, Wateraquifer, Chris Mericle, FERC, FL-DEP, Florida, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, karst, limestone, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, SRWMD, Suwannee River Water Management District, Water, Withlacoochee River, WWALSJohn S. Quarterman

After citizens familiar with the springs, shoals, and sinkholes of the Withlacoochee River and the fragile karst limestone that contains them and the Floridan Aquifer, source of drinking water for all of Florida and south Georgia, the north Florida county of Hamilton passed a resolution asking FERC to have the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline avoid those geological formations. According to a letter already forwarded to FERC by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and also quoted in part to FERC by the Suwannee River Water Management District, that would mean there’s basically nowhere that pipeline would be safe in north Florida (or south Georgia, which has the same limestone substrate).

Joyce Marie Taylor updated in the Suwannee Democrat 25 August 2014, Hamilton fights back against Sabal Trail pipeline,

A special meeting was called on Friday, Aug. 22, and the board voted to pass Resolution 14-10 that expressed their concerns about the proposed pipeline route across the Withlacoochee River that forms the western boundary of Hamilton County.

A portion of the resolution states, Continue reading Avoid the Withlacoochee River and karst limestone –Hamilton Co. FL to FERC →