Tag Archives: Hillabee Expansion Project

Spectra, Duke, NextEra, Williams, all members of ALEC super-lobby group

May 23, 2016Alabama, Florida, Georgia, History, LawAlabama, ALEC, American Legislative Exchange, corruption, Duke Energy, Florida, Florida Power and Light, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, Georgia, Hillabee Expansion Project, History, John S. Quarterman, Law, legislators, media, NextEra, Sabal Trail, Savannah, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Transco, Williams Company, WXIA-TVJohn S. Quarterman

All the companies behind the Southeast Market Pipelines Project have representatives sitting in those back rooms voting on draft bills on an equal basis with state legislators, according to the latest information publicly availlable. Back in the news a year after an Atlanta TV station reported on an ALEC meeting in Savannah, ALEC is not just for Georgia, every state has legislators in that super-lobbying group, including Florida and Albama, taking those draft bills back to their legislatures and often getting them passed. Now you know why the same bad bills to ban home rule on fracking, to block renwable energy portfolios, to impose a solar tax, and of course to promote fracked methane pipelines, show up at the same times in states all across the country.

Brendan Keefe and Michael King, WXIA-TV, 22 May 2015, Legislators and corporate lobbyists meet in secret at Georgia resort. They found out quite a bit before ALEC had off-duty deputies throw them out of their hotel. Continue reading Spectra, Duke, NextEra, Williams, all members of ALEC super-lobby group →

We will accept Sabal Trail’s answers –FERC issues certificates

February 3, 2016Environment, FERC, Law, LNG, Politics, WaterAlbany, Dougherty County, Duke Energy, environment, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Hamilton County, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, NextEra Energy, Politics, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Transco, Water, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Property rights, environment, or safety? 14% pipeline company profit is more important! said FERC. But this fight is not over.

Without ever appearing on FERC’s public calendar, and a month in advance of when FERC previously said, FERC yesterday issued certificates for Sabal Trail, the Transco Hillabee Expansion Project, and Florida Southeast Connection. Trial-style evidentiary hearing? Nope, FERC believes Sabal Trail. Consolidation of the three dockets into one? Nope, everybody should have opposed all three, says FERC. Environmental justice? Hey, demographics don’t matter, pipeline siting is all about engineering and “environmental” issues. And profit. Don’t forget profit for the pipeline companies. Solar power? Nevermind, Continue reading We will accept Sabal Trail’s answers –FERC issues certificates →

Atlantic Sunrise pipeline in Penn. same problems as Sabal Trail

January 18, 2016Alabama, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Law, LNG, PennsylvaniaAlabama, Atlantic Sunrise, Chris Hedges, Cove Point LNG export, Elba Island LNG export, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Lancaster Against Pipelines, Lancaster County, LAP, Law, LNG, Mark Clatterbuck, Pennsylvania, SpectraBusters, Thomas Linzey, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

First the good news: a Pennsylvania pipeline protester had all charges dismissed for videoing license plates at a pipeline construction site. All of those plates were from out of state: so much for pipeline company promises of local construction jobs. Much else going on in Pennsylvania sounds very familiar.

Tom Knapp, LancasterOnline, 13 November 2015, Pipeline protester not guilty of disorderly conduct for filming at construction site,

Mark Clatterbuck, a Martic Township resident and professor of religion at Montclair State University in New Jersey, was issued a summons by state police after videotaping out-of-state license plates of subcontractors working at the Williams Gas pipeline project.

The incident occurred Continue reading Atlantic Sunrise pipeline in Penn. same problems as Sabal Trail →

FERC meetings for Draft Environmental Impact Statement 28 Sep 2015 – 8 Oct 2015

September 5, 2015Alabama, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazardsagenda, Alabama, DEIS, Draft Environmental Impact Statement, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Hazards, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Meetings, Nathan Deal, need, public benefit, Sabal Trail Transmission, schedule, SpectraBusters, STT, Transco, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Two weeks for all the public meetings, rushing to make the 20 November 2015 final EIS notice date, for a final decision 18 February 2016.

The Draft EIS released Friday 4 September 2015 is very long, but the most basic question is very short: why is FERC rushing to rubberstamp the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail pipeline and its fracked methane siblings Hillabee Transco and FSC when there’s neither need nor public benefit?

The Sunshine State should go straight to solar power.

If you don’t want any of these pipelines, you can send in your comments both to FERC and to state and local agencies and elected officials in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama, and show up at these FERC meetings to protest. You can also still file a motion to intervene with FERC. And don’t forget to call Georgia Gov. Deal.

Filed with FERC 4 September 2015 as Accession Number: 20150904-3011, “Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Southeast Market Pipelines Project re Florida Southeast Connection, LLC et al under CP14-554 et al.” Continue reading FERC meetings for Draft Environmental Impact Statement 28 Sep 2015 – 8 Oct 2015 →

A pipeline partner admits LNG export is possible

June 28, 2015FERC, Florida, LNG, Martin County, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West VirginiaEQT Midstream Partners, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, Hillabee Expansion Project, India, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Martin County, Mountain Valley Pipeline, NextEra Energy, Pennsylvania, Sabal Trail Transmission, SpectraBusters, T. Boone Pickens, Transco, Virginia, West Virginia, WGL Midstream, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

FERC had been saying no LNG export, yet the pipeline partners said a year ago in their Open Season: “as well as deliveries to Cove Point LNG”. NextEra, co-owner of Sabal Trail Transmission, is one of the Mountain Valley Pipeline partners. Sabal Trail and FERC have told us Sabal Trail is not for LNG export, yet they never told us about an already-approved LNG export license right where the Sabal Trail pipeline chain goes in Florida.

Duncan Adams, Roanoke Times, 25 June 2015, Mountain Valley Pipeline partner says operation could be used for exports,

A partner in the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline confirmed this week that natural gas transported by the pipeline could be one supply source for liquefied natural gas bound for India.

The news comes after Paul Friedman, a project manager for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, repeatedly — and publicly — dismissed concerns last month from pipeline opponents that natural gas transported through the pipeline would be exported.

WGL Midstream has a Continue reading A pipeline partner admits LNG export is possible →

A flood of motions to intervene filed: still two days to go to Sabal Trail deadline

December 22, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, LawAlabama, Dougherty County, Duke Energy, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, FSC, Georgia, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, motion to intervene, Sabal Trail Transmission, Southern Company, Southern Natural Gas Company, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Transco, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

The trickle turns to a flood of motions to intervene being filed for the FERC dockets of Sabal Trail, Transco’s Hillabee Expansion Project, and Florida Southeast Connection. Two elected county governments have filed, one of them in all three dockets. Other counties and cities and even states can dod the same.

Be sure to file in all three dockets: CP15-17, CP15-16, and CP14-554. It’s not enough to list them in your filing documents or description: you must file them on each docket. If you don’t find your filing in FERC’s docket search for each of the three dockets, you need to go back and file again in the other dockets. Here’s how to file for multiple dockets in a single Continue reading A flood of motions to intervene filed: still two days to go to Sabal Trail deadline →

FERC filing deadline 24 December 2014 –VDT

December 21, 2014FERC, Georgia, Law, Lowndes CountyFERC, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lowndes County, motion to intervene, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, STT, Transco, Valdosta Daily TimesJohn S. Quarterman

The newspaper of record in the county seat of the most populous county along the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline path between Auburn and Gainesville reminds everyone of the Christmas Eve filing deadline.

Joe Adgie, Valdosta Daily Times, 19 December 2014, Deadline nears for pipeline comments,

Residents wanting to file comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission about the Sabal Trail pipeline have until Dec. 24 to do so….
Continue reading FERC filing deadline 24 December 2014 –VDT →

Florida Gas Transmission intervenes in Sabal Trail CP15-17

December 10, 2014Alabama, Compressor, FERC, Florida, Georgia, LawAlabama, compressor, CP14-554, CP15-16, CP15-17, FERC, FGT Southeast Market Pipeline Project, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, SMP, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TranscoJohn S. Quarterman

How simple a motion to intevene can be: organization name, contacts, and Basis for Intervening. Filing to intervene gets your foot in the door for any further filings or legal actions or participation in hearings. It does not require filing major legal documents at the outset (or ever). It does require filing your motion to intervene by 24 December 2014. It would be prudent not to wait until the last day: you never know when FERC’s efiling system might be down.

This motion to intervene is by Sabal Trail’s competitor Florida Gas Transmission, which is, according to Kinder Morgan:

The Florida Gas Transmission (FGT) pipeline is an approximately 5,500-mile system that transports natural gas from south Texas to south Florida. FGT is owned by Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC, a 100% owned subsidiary of Citrus Corp. Citrus Corp is a 50/50 joint venture between Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI) and Energy Transfer.

FGT didn’t mention in this filing, but it knows sinkholes. Just a year ago FGT had to move its pipeline off of the famous 25-acre sinkhole in Assumption Parish, Louisiana.

Filed with FERC 9 December 2014 as Accession Number: 20141209-5136, “(doc-less) Motion to Intervene of Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC under CP15-17.” Continue reading Florida Gas Transmission intervenes in Sabal Trail CP15-17 →

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! →

MGAG didn’t contact local governments before agreeing with Sabal Trail

November 25, 2014Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Georgia, LawAlbany, Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Georgia, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, Moultrie, Sabal Trail Transmission, SONAT, Southern Natural Gas, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Transco, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Looks like Spectra is still making stuff up. Apparently Spectra got one of its usual pipeline distributors to make a deal in Georgia for Sabal Trail without that distributor ever asking its own customers whether they needed the gas. This is very convenient for undercutting opposition to Sabal Trail’s threats of Georgia eminent domain, but not very useful to the named counties or to Sabal Trail’s own credibility.

Remember Sabal Trail’s FERC Filing in Docket CP15-17 said on page 11: Continue reading MGAG didn’t contact local governments before agreeing with Sabal Trail →