Tag Archives: History

Sabal Trail is an insurgent invader; pipeline opponents are environmental patriots

Alabama, Environment, Florida, Georgia, History, Law, Safety, Water, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The pipeline companies are invading insurgents, acting against the stated directions of local elected governments. Pipeline opponents, fighting for their land, water, air, safety, and children, are patriots.

Merriam Webster defines insurgent as:

a person who revolts against civil authority or an established government

Five Six counties and two cities in Georgia and Florida have so far passed resolutions against the Sabal Trail pipeline, and four state representatives have complained to FERC about it: here’s a list. That’s in addition to the other state and federal agencies that have complained to FERC. And in addition to the hundreds of individuals who have spoken at Sabal Trail’s Open Houses and FERC’s Scoping Meetings, overwhelmingly opposing the pipeline. And in addition to the numerous landowner, environmental, and political organizations that have passed resolutions, filed with FERC, and in many cases intervened with FERC against Sabal Trail’s application for a permit.

So if you see the people willing to put their time, money, and in many cases their freedom on the line; when you see the media call them insurgents, you know it’s a lie. Like Americans against invading redcoats, pipeline opponents are patriots.

One of many lies deliberately promoted by the fossil fuel industry. Eamon Javers wrote for CNBC 8 November 2011 Oil Executive: Military-Style ‘Psy Ops’ Experience Applied, Continue reading Sabal Trail is an insurgent invader; pipeline opponents are environmental patriots →

SpectraBusters moves to intervene on Sabal Trail et al.

Economy, Environment, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, History, Law, LNG, Safety, Water, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

300x222 All three dockets selected, in How to intervene, by John S. Quarterman, for SpectraBusters.org, 17 December 2014 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. →

FPL’s parent NextEra buys Hawaii’s biggest utility for green energy transition

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While FPL wants to frack Oklahoma, its parent corp. wants to green Hawaii. Do they even talk?

Mark Chediak and Ehren Goossens, Bloomberg, 4 December 2014, NextEra Buys Hawaii’s Biggest Utility in Green Energy Test,

“You can think about Hawaii as a postcard from the future of what’s going to happen in the electric industry in the United States,” James Robo, chairman and chief executive officer of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra, said by phone interview yesterday. “As renewable generation gets cheaper, as electric storage becomes more efficient and possible, all electric utilities are going to have to face this.”

What’s FPL making Florida, then? A test case for the failed past?

Bloomberg says about NextEra’s Hawaii Electric purchase:

Including debt, the total value of the transaction is about $4.3 billion.

That’s not much more than FPL’s Sabal Trail pipeline boondoggle. How about cancel that pipeline and the fracking and green Florida into… the Sunshine State!

-jsq

Sabal Trail pipeline not in the public interest

FE, FERC, Florida, Hazards, History, Law, LNG, Marion County, Safety, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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

Environment, Ethics, FE, FERC, Fracking, Hazards, History, Law, LNG, Solar, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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. 300x162 Right-of-Way diagram, in Kinder Morgan Right-of-, by Kinder Morgan, 2 June 2008 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 Why accepting a natural gas easement is a bad deal →

FERC recovers cost of operations through charges and fees from the industries it regulates –FERC FY14 Budget

Alabama, Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, History, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, Maryland, Suwannee County, Water, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Don’t believe FERC is funded by the industries it regulates? Well, let’s look beyond FERC’s own About web page to its actual funding request to Congress. Maybe that will motivate you to ecomment to FERC right now, and to contact your local, state, and national elected and appointed officials.

Acting Chairman Cheryl A. LaFleur, FEDERAL  ENERGY  REGULATORY  COMMISSION, FY 2015 Congressional Performance Budget Request,

Full Cost Recovery

The Commission recovers the full cost of its operations through annual charges and filing fees assessed on the industries it regulates as authorized by the Federal Power Act (FPA) and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. The Commission deposits this revenue into the Treasury as a direct offset to its appropriation, resulting in no net appropriation.

Clear enough that FERC is 100% funded by the industries it regulates?

That may seem like a win for the taxpayers. But is it a win for you the local landowners Continue reading FERC recovers cost of operations through charges and fees from the industries it regulates –FERC FY14 Budget →

Lack of need, false pretense, and duress: FERC omitted page 3 from Bill Kendall’s letter

Alabama, Ethics, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Georgia, History, Law, Lowndes County, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s integrated into the previous post now. It’s well worth reading.

See also Bill and Nanci Kendall quoted in the VDT with protest signs.

-jsq

FERC formal filing process for Sabal Trail

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The end of October is the beginning of the formal FERC filing process, at least if Sabal Trail files October 31st as Andrea Grover has predicted. FERC not only takes comments during a formal filing, which usually lasts about a year, but as that process begins your group also can become an intervenor, which provides additional legal capabilities. Follow the link for details about FERC’s pre-filing and formal filing processes, with graphical and textual timelines.

Commenting with and watching the FERC process, or filing as an intervenor, is a great way to keep up with what’s going on. But depending on FERC alone would be foolish, since the same day Albany and Dougherty County citizens overwhelmingly opposed the pipeline in a public meeting, FERC approved Cove Point LNG export in Maryland, despite massive public opposition.

Fortunately, it’s not just FERC that decides Continue reading FERC formal filing process for Sabal Trail →

Make Sabal Trail resurvey all the properties –Bill Kendall

Alabama, Ethics, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Georgia, History, Law, Lowndes County, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

300x387 Letters sent before contract awarded, in Resurvey all the properties, by Bill Kendall, for SpectraBusters.org, 29 September 2014 Update 27 October 2014: Added page 3 FERC had omitted, about lack of need, most property owners already have a pipeline, explosions, false pretense, and duress.

Because of the last point about Nathan Deal, several people brought this ecomment to my attention today. Its main request is for FERC to vacate surveys taken through permission obtained through misleading letters, and make Sabal Trail resurvey only those properties whose landowners give permission after being informed important information such as that Sabal Trail cannot use Georgia eminent domain.

Actually, the Lowndes County government got a letter from Sabal Trail 19 June 2013, even earlier than the ones noted below. Also, the point about Delays I haven’t seen before, especially combined with the point about harm to landowners. The date of formation reaches its punchline two pages later in reputation. I added the links and images. Filed with FERC 30 September 2014.

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary; FERC;
Concerning PF14-1

300x387 B: FPL map, in Resurvey all the properties, by Bill Kendall, for SpectraBusters.org, 29 September 2014 On December 19, 2012, Florida Power & Light, hereafter referred to as FPL. issued a Request For Proposal with a deadline of April 3, 2013 ((A) see attached Florida PSC report), to construct a natural gas pipeline from Southwest central Alabama to South central Florida a distance of some 700 miles and completely by-passing Georgia ((B) see attached FPL map).

300x233 C: Sabal Trail map, in Resurvey all the properties, by Bill Kendall, for SpectraBusters.org, 29 September 2014 Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC, hereafter referred to as STT, changed the FPL route, at their discretion, Continue reading Make Sabal Trail resurvey all the properties –Bill Kendall →

Action letter to County Commissioners against Sabal Trail pipeline

Economy, Environment, Florida, History, Law, Suwannee County, Water, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Update 2014-09-12: Still more signatures.
Update 2014-09-08: Still more signatures.
Update 2014-09-07: More signatures.

Debra Johnson posted this on the Suwannee Alliance For Sustainable Growth facebook group 1 September 2014:

SABAL TRAIL PIPELINE ACTION NEEDED—If you desire add your signature to this multi-group email please enter it in the comment section.This email will be sent from SAFSG and other groups to BOCC officials here and in surrounding counties. It is available for use anywhere Sabal Trail pipeline is a threat—Simply change the county and/or state name in the body. We will start sending it out Tuesday Sept. 2nd. You should read it even if you do not sign as it contains important information.

The Suwannee County, FL Commission meets today, 2 September 2014. When does yours meet? Here is contact information for Florida counties. Here is contact information for Georgia and Alabama county commissions and city councils along the proposed pipeline path, as well as for state and federal elected officials. Remember also to comment with FERC on docket # PF14-1. Here’s the letter. -jsq

Dear Commissioner,

We are sure that you have heard of the Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy Pipeline and the resolution passed by Hamilton County BOCC August 22, 2014, to prohibit its path through the Withlacoochee River in Hamilton County (link below). It appears that that resolution has been successful. But the problem has not gone away in that Sabal Trail has already sent FERC and Rep. Ted Yoho a letter suggesting that they move the pipeline yet again! (link below).

We would also like to bring to your attention to other local government actions that have been implemented to protect the citizens of those counties. Our hope is that your county government will consider adopting one of these strategies in this crucial effort to protect their citizens, water, land, etc. from this gas pipeline which will provide zero benefit to the people of Florida Continue reading Action letter to County Commissioners against Sabal Trail pipeline →