Tag Archives: Hazards

No eminent domain for water-threatening unnecessary Sabal Trail pipeline –GA Rep. Dexter Sharper District 177

January 7, 2015Economy, Explosion, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Hazards, Law, Lowndes County, Safety, Solar, Trees, WaterAgriculture, Dexter Sharper, drinking water, Economy, Education, eminent domain, explosion, Florida, Floridan Aquifer, forestry, Form 10-K, FPL, Georgia, Hamilton County, Hazards, insurance, John S. Quarterman, karst, Law, LCDP, limestone, Lowndes County, Lowndes County Democratic Party, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, SEC, solar, SONAT, Southern Natural Gas, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Trees, Valdosta, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

The state representative for Valdosta and parts of Lowndes County cited their two resolutions and enumerated lack of need for a pipeline, threatening letters from Sabal Trail, alternative routes next to a school, ill effects on business including on forestry and agriculture and private property valuations, potential sinkholes due to drilling under the Withlacoochee River, including on the preferred route, or anywhere in the fragile karst limestone containing the Floridan Aquifer, plus Spectra Energy’s own SEC filings say it doesn’t have insurance to cover the kinds of safety problems in Spectra’s own history nor those pointed out by Southern Natural Gas Company. Dexter Sharper noted local evidence that solar power is cheaper and safer, and echoed the Lowndes County Democratic Party in writing:

“…we have a moral obligation to leave our children and grandchildren with an earth as safe, beautiful, and majestic as the one bequeathed to us by our parents and grandparents.”
For all these reasons, on behalf of my constituents and the citizens of Lowndes County and the state of Georgia, I oppose the Sabal Trail pipeline anywhere in the County of Lowndes or the State of Georgia.
I urge that FERC reject any permit for the Sabal Trail pipeline, or at the very least move it entirely out of the State of Georgia.

Filed 7 January 2015 with FERC as Accession Number: 20150107-5100, “Comment of Dexter Sharper, Georgia State Representative, District 177, under CP15-17.” Continue reading No eminent domain for water-threatening unnecessary Sabal Trail pipeline –GA Rep. Dexter Sharper District 177 →

Williston fire and police station relocated due to sinkhole: Sabal Trail wants pipeline through there

January 1, 2015Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Hazards, Levy County, Lowndes County, Safety, WaterAlapaha River, collapse, fire, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Levy County, Lowndes County, police, Safety, Santa Fe River, sinkhole, SpectraBusters, Water, Williston, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

In a county already famous for sinkholes, the fire and police department just had to move off of a sinkhole. Sabal Trail wants to poke a yard-wide pipeline on a hundred-foot right of way right through that area, and under rivers, some of which already leak underground. How about solar power for the Sunshine State instead?

GTN News, 11 July 2014, Williston Has A New Sinkhole – UNDER the Police Dept. and Fire Station,

A new sinkhole in Williston, but it’s not forming just anywhere. It’s underneath the police station and fire department. GTN’s Hailey Holloway has more on the problem and what the city is trying to do to prevent a disaster.

Heavy rain getting into the Florida soil is causing the building to shift and crack and buckle.

“Unless by the grace of God it rains everywhere but Williston, we’re going to have issues.”

The problems started Continue reading Williston fire and police station relocated due to sinkhole: Sabal Trail wants pipeline through there →

SpectraBusters moves to intervene on Sabal Trail et al.

December 24, 2014Economy, Environment, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, History, Law, LNG, Safety, Wateraccountability, Alabama, Beth Gordon, disaster, Economy, Edison, eminent domain, environment, EPA, FERC, Florida, FPL, Gainesville Sun, Georgia, Hazards, History, insurance, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, New Jersey, Safety, soil, SpectraBusters, taxpayer, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

No domestic need for the fracked methane, which Spectra Energy’s CEO has said it wants to export; no insurance despite Spectra’s track record of safety violations; environmental destruction of water and soil: for these and other reasons SpectraBusters, Inc. has filed a motion to intervene with all three parts of the fracked methane pipeline project including Sabal Trail, using a form of filing that other groups could copy.

How can eminent domain be conferred on Sabal Trail, where there is no benefit to the public, there is zero provision for disaster accountability, and no real attempt at a real environmental impact study? Along with the EPA, a taxpayer funded agency, we’d like answers to these questions that we have posed to FERC for the past year.

Here’s how you or your organization can file a motion to intervene.

Filed with FERC 24 December 2014 as Accession Number: 20141224-5069, “Motion to Intervene of SpectraBusters, Inc. under CP15-17, et. al..” Continue reading SpectraBusters moves to intervene on Sabal Trail et al. →

New York State to ban fracking

December 17, 2014Fracking, Hazards, Health, Law, New York, Safety, WaterAir, ban, Fracking, Hazards, Health, John S. Quarterman, Law, New York, ordinance, Safety, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Fossil fuels are going down, as the third most populous U.S. state follows the lead of dozens of its local governments and bans fracking. The sun is rising.

Jesse McKinley, New York Times, today 17 December 2014, Cuomo to Ban Fracking in New York State, Citing Health Risks,

The Cuomo administration announced Wednesday that it would ban hydraulic fracturing in New York State, ending years of uncertainty by concluding that the controversial method of extracting gas from deep underground could contaminate the state’s air and water and pose inestimable public-health risks.

“I cannot support high volume hydraulic fracturing in the great state of New York,” said Howard Zucker, the acting commissioner of health.

That conclusion was delivered Continue reading New York State to ban fracking →

Albany, GA Resolution Against Sabal Trail Pipeline and Compressor 2014-10-28

December 10, 2014Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, Law, Safety, WaterAirport, Albany, compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, environment, FERC, Flint River, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Lamar Reese Elementary School, Law, Martin Luther King Jr., resolution, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Sherwood Christian Academy, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

The day after Dougherty County passed a resolution wanting Sabal Trail’s pipeline and compressor station out of the county and the state, its county seat Albany passed this resolution asking the same.

Here’s PDF and the text is below.

14-R 175
A RESOLUTION
ENTITLED
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE SABAL TRAIL
TRANSMISSION, LLC NATURAL GAS PIPELINE, AS
WELL AS THE ALBANY COMPRESSOR STATION
APPLICATION NO. 2236; REPEALING PRIOR
RESOLUTIONS IN CONFLICT AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.

WHEREAS, Spectra Energy, headquartered in the State of Texas, has proposed developing a 460 mile natural gas pipeline, a portion of which will traverse through Dougherty County, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, this project is typically referred to as SABAL TRAIL TRANSMISSION, LLC (hereinafter “Project”); and

WHEREAS, part of this Project is the installation of an extremely large compressor station, such that the citizens in Albany and Dougherty County will be adversely affected; and

WHEREAS, afier careful consideration, Continue reading Albany, GA Resolution Against Sabal Trail Pipeline and Compressor 2014-10-28 →

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 28, 2014Alabama, Economy, Environment, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, LNG, Solar, WaterAlabama, Allies, Economy, environment, Florida, FPL, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Thanksgiving, Water, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Dear SpectraBusters and Allies,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks to all who get out on the street, into the halls of government, or on the media: public awareness is the key to winning this fight.

Thanks to all who quietly and often anonymously help Continue reading Happy Thanksgiving! →

GCCC against Sabal Trail in Albany, GA

November 25, 2014Climate Change, Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Georgia, Hazards, SafetyAlgonquin Pipeline, Climate Change, compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, GCCC, Georgia, Georgia Climate Change Coalition, Gloria Gaines, Gretchen Elsner, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Logan Shirah, Radium Springs Neighborhood Association, Rich Rusk, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

The Georgia Climate Change Coalition Bike Lines to stop Pipe Lines stopped in Albany yesterday and got some news coverage.

Diane Dean, WALB TV, 24 November 2014, Bike riders focus on GA environment,

Members of the Georgia Climate Change Coalition are concerned about what the planet will look like for future generations.

“It crosses the flint and Chattahoochee River and their water sheds that provide drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people,” said Gretchen Elsner of the Georgia Climate Change Coalition.

Rich Rusk is Continue reading GCCC against Sabal Trail in Albany, GA →

Listen to the people you are supposed to protect –Laura Dailey to FERC

November 17, 2014Columbia County, Economy, FERC, Florida, Hazards, Safety, Solar, WaterChina, Columbia County, Economy, Europe, FERC, fire, Florida, Fort White, Germany, Hazards, insurance, John S. Quarterman, Laura Dailey, lobbyist, opportunity, protect, public, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, spring, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

“We have the opportunity to be world leaders in the renewable energy revolution! Shall we let that opportunity go to Germany or China, by default?”

Filed with FERC 15 November 2014:

Laura Dailey, fort white, FL.

On this final day to plead my/our case, it is time for the FERC to look at the bigger picture and stop caving to the short term fixes. We are in trouble, and you can help by voting to DENY THE SABAL TRAIL METHANE PIPELINE! Leave the gas in the ground…..where it’s already conveniently stored!

EVERY DAY we wake to an invitation from the sun! In fact, the planet itself runs on solar, and most European countries already understand this. Even China just made a huge commitment to solar. Contrary to what the lobbyists are telling you, FLORIDA DOES NOT NEED THIS GAS!!

From the standpoint of transparency, there is none! I have asked Continue reading Listen to the people you are supposed to protect –Laura Dailey to FERC →

Sabal Trail pipeline not in the public interest

November 17, 2014FE, FERC, Florida, Hazards, History, Law, LNG, Marion County, SafetyFE, FERC, Florida, Government, Hazards, History, Laura Dailey, Law, LNG, LNG export, Marion County, Ocala, Safety, smell test, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

SpectraBusters op-ed published by Ocala newspaper. And the Sabal Trail pipeline still don’t pass the smell test.

Ocala Star-Banner, 16 November 2014, Sabal Trail pipeline not in the public interest.

Illustrated version, with links to the evidence: It don’t pass the smell test: FPL’s extra natural gas pipeline —SpectraBusters.

-jsq

Why accepting a natural gas easement is a bad deal

November 16, 2014Environment, Ethics, FE, FERC, Fracking, Hazards, History, Law, LNG, Solareasement, environment, Ethics, FE, FERC, Fracking, Government, Hazards, History, John S. Quarterman, Jon Wellinghoff, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, LNG, LNG export, national security, solar, SONAT, Southern Natural Gas, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Here are a few things you get with a pipeline easement: no right to grow trees on it, limited right to put up fences, and if you do, you have to have gates in them that the pipeline company can put their own lock on. But you do get to continue to pay taxes on land you can no longer fully use; land that now contains a potentially corrosive, leaky, explosive hazard that you can’t tap for your own use. And you do get pipeline company contractors coming through at their convenience to mow or otherwise clear the right of way. Contractors who may be somewhat unclear on where the right of way ends and your trees, for example, start. Without ever having to notify you then or tell you later what happened. And it’s even worse than that: you may get another pipeline, and meanwhile the pipeline company will claim rights over local governments and developments. All while the world has changed and the sun has risen on a better way.

All bets are off if there’s a pipeline break

Continue reading →