Tag Archives: John Peconom

Orders Denying Certificates

Given months to find them, all FERC could come up with for orders denying certificates was for two liquid natural gas (LNG) facilities. Each did have an associated pipeline request, but neither was for a stand-alone pipeline application. I do thank John Peconom and Kevin Bowman for providing these documents. However, really, is this all there is?

I asked John Peconom of FERC for a list of denied pipeline applications at the Moultrie makeup Sabal Trail Open House 27 January 2014, and again after the Valdosta FERC Scoping Meeting 4 March 2014, and each time Peconom said he would get me a list, including the actual orders denying some pipelines. At the Moultrie FERC Scoping Meeting 5 March 2014, I pointed out to the hundred-or-so attendees that I still hadn’t gotten a list.

After the Moultrie meeting, Kevin Bowman of FERC gave me a slip of paper with this written on it:

Turtle Bayou Gas
CP10-481-000
June 2011

See separate post.

Then John Peconom of FERC sent me an email message with these two links in it: Continue reading Orders Denying Certificates

Sabal Trail same old at Albany FERC Scoping Meeting

Spectra is claiming to have learned lessons from their safety record they previously repeatedly claimed they were not familiar with.

Josh Rhoden reported for WALB 3 and 4 March 2014, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission holds pipeline hearing,

Guenevere Perry and her mother Dianne came out to Monday night’s meeting, they’re worried about the effect the pipeline may have on their property value.

“Some of the concerns that would be more imminent to citizens in the area would be property value,” said Guenevere Perry.

Critics say Spectra energy, one of the companies involved in the project, has had three major explosions in Oklahoma, Canada, and Nebraska. But Andrea Grover with the Sabal Trail Project insists spectra has a good track record.

“Spectra energy really has a good safety record, we have the best in the industry, we take a lot of lessons learned and apply them to our programs,” said Andrea Grover, Sabal Trail Transmission.

So now she’s familiar with Spectra’s safety record after for months she wasn’t? When did Spectra learn all these lessons, and when Continue reading Sabal Trail same old at Albany FERC Scoping Meeting

FERC refuses to release RFP for environmental contractor

FERC is less transparent about a $3 billion project than a local library board was about a $10 million project. Last night in Valdosta FERC again failed to provide the RFP used in selecting the environmental contractor to be used on all three of the proposed connected methane pipelines. I’ve never heard of any other tax-funded agency refusing to release an RFP of which they have a copy. Have you?

FERC Kevin Bowman environmental protection specialist (pictured on the left) said he’d never heard anyone request an RFP before. He should talk to his FERC co-worker John Peconom (pictured on the right), because, as I mentioned when I stood up to talk, Peconom had already refused to release that RFP.

At the make-up Open House in Moultrie I asked John Peconom for: Continue reading FERC refuses to release RFP for environmental contractor

Dates and locations have not changed –Sabal Trail Transmission

Sabal Trail did all that was strictly required by FERC, so quit your whining, basically. The only new information is the list of newspapers STT used for advertising. People didn’t quit complaining, so later STT added a makeup meeting in Moultrie.

Filed with FERC 2 December 2013, Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC submits its Response to Comments Seeking Open House Meeting Information for the Sabal Trail Project under Docket No. PF14-1.

Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC 2701 N. Rocky Point Drive, Suit 1050 Tampa, FL

December 2, 2013

Ms. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20426

Re: Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC
Sabal Trail Project, Docket No. PF14-1-000
Response to Comments Seeking Open House Meeting Information

Dear Ms. Bose: Continue reading Dates and locations have not changed –Sabal Trail Transmission

FERC FOIA not transparent even internally

Received yesterday by email to me and Beth Gordon. -jsq

*John and Beth,*

*Regarding your FOIA questions, I’ve contacted the Commission’s Offices of External Affairs and General & Administrative Law, and have determined that the best course of action to fully and accurately respond to your questions would be for you to speak directly with our FOIA Public Liaison Ms. Toyia Jackson. I was hoping to be able to answer your questions myself; however, I believe that it would be better if Ms. Jackson responded to you. As the Commission’s FOIA Public Liaison she is much more capable than I to answer your questions. I have forwarded your questions to her and we have discussed the conversations each of us have had. Ms. Jackson’s contact information is:*

*Toyia Johnson*, FOIA Public Liaison
Office of External Affairs
Telephone: 202-502-6088

Respectfully,

Continue reading FERC FOIA not transparent even internally

I just don’t think they should be allowed to deface my property –Irvin Allegood to FERC

Colquitt County landowner Irvin Allegood came to the do-over Sabal Trail Open House in Moultrie 27 January 2014 so he could tell FERC he wasn’t going to allow another pipeline. He wasn’t the only one, but he especially wanted video, so here he is, talking to John Peconom of FERC.

…the existing pipeline comes through the front corner.

I just don’t think that they should be allowed to, basically, to deface my property. …losing that road, if they put two pipelines on my property.

Their first suggestion, was they would destroy… as far as my property was concerned. all of the wooded area. There’s old growth pines in there, the run of a creek. We’re just not going to allow that to happen.

If they put it on the other side of the existing pipeline. I’ve been planning to put my shop out there when I retire in a couple of years.

Here’s the video:


I just don’t think they should be allowed to deface my property –Irvin Allegood to FERC
Video by John S. Quarterman for SpectraBusters.org,
Moultrie, Colquitt County GA, 27 January 2014.

FERC rep. John Peconom then wanted to be sure to get the spelling of Irvin Allegood’s name, and where his property was. It wasn’t on the map hanging right there, so they looked at the maps on Peconom’s laptop. Peconom had no direct response to the basic point of the pipeline defacing property, or tearing down trees.

You can easily see the existing pipeline on google maps: Continue reading I just don’t think they should be allowed to deface my property –Irvin Allegood to FERC

FERC: regulatory agency or marketing firm for pipeline companies?

Its name is the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but lately it’s been sounding more like a marketing firm for pipeline companies. You can help fix that.

Bill Thompson wrote for Ocala.com 11 December 2013 about a meeting in Dunnellon, Florida, At open house, Sabal Trail presents plans for natural gas pipeline,

About 50 people attended an open house meeting held by Sabal Trail Transmission LLC, the energy firm that will construct the roughly 465-mile line for two of America’s biggest energy companies. The line will go through Alachua and Marion counties, among others….

John Peconom, project manager for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which will have final approval over the pipeline, described Sabal Trails efforts at this point as “shaking the bushes.”

The company, he said, is attempting to identify — and mitigate, if necessary — as many issues as possible before filing its application with the government, which should come in about a year.

Peconom told me in Moultrie, GA 27 January 2014 that that last was FERC’s role. I wonder why Continue reading FERC: regulatory agency or marketing firm for pipeline companies?

The Big Picture

A followup to discussions in Moultrie, GA, 27 January 2014.

From: John S. Quarterman <jsqferc@quarterman.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 17:29:54 -0500
cc: John S. Quarterman <jsqferc@quarterman.org>
To: John Peconom <john.peconom@ferc.gov>
Subject: Re: Contact and the Big Picture

Howdy, and it was good to meet you in Moultrie.

I look forward to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission taking into account the whole big picture, and not just believing assertions by applicant companies without critical review.

Thanks for sending me this boilerplate, which I see appears in many FERC documents:

Any state or local permits issued with respect to the jurisdictional facilities authorized herein must be consistent with the conditions of this certificate. The Commission encourages cooperation between interstate pipelines and local authorities. However, this does not mean that state and local agencies, through application of state or local laws, may prohibit or unreasonably delay the construction of facilities approved by this Commission.

There was no source cited in the boilerplate, does it refer to this? Continue reading The Big Picture

We can survive without gas, but not without water. –Jane Hatker

FERC filing 20131230-4002 from a landowner in southeast Gilchrist County, Florida. -jsq

Note to:FERC Docket No. PF14-1-000
Note from:John Peconom, Environmental Project Manager
Date:December 30, 2013
Subject:Comments of Ms. Jane Hatker

I received the following comments regarding the Sabal Trail Project on December 26, 2013. Ms. Hatker’s address and phone number have been ommitted.

From: Jane Hatker [mailto:jhatker@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 26, 2013 4:29 PM
To: John.Peconom@ferc.gov
Cc: merrilleeart@aol.com
Subject: Sable Trail Pipeline Concerns

Dear Mr. Peconom,

I met you and we spoke at length at Bell High School on December 5th at the open house regarding the proposed Sabal Trail Transmission pipeline route. To refresh your memory, I gave you a Google map showing our small pecan orchard that backed up to property where a 35 foot and quite deep sink hole formed. I also included pictures of the sink hole and proof that this was located no more than 2300 feet from the proposed pipeline route. This entire area is at high risk for rapid sink hole formations and it makes no sense to put a pipeline right through such an area simply to serve the interests of FPL.

At 62, I have lived in Florida for almost all of my adult life and have observed an enormous change in the amount and quality of our water Continue reading We can survive without gas, but not without water. –Jane Hatker

Forcing dependence for information on the organization perpetrating this attack is unconscionable –Carol Singletary

FERC filing 20131230-4001 about a comment to FERC apparently at the Clyattville Sabal Trail Open House 16 December 2013. -jsq

Note to:FERC Docket No. PF14-1-000
Note from:John Peconom, Environmental Project Manager
Date:December 27, 2013
Subject:Comments of Mrs. Carol Singletary

The attached comment letter from Mrs. Carol Singletary was received by FERC staff at a Sabal Trail Open House.

December 5, 2013 Docket # PF14-1

Ms. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions
888 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20426

Dear Ms. Bose,

I am requesting an opportunity to challenge with your organization claims made on the December 4″ letter submitted by Sabal Trail Transmission. If their ability to continue forward is based on these claims submitted in this document, I am requesting a moratorium on STT ability to continue to conduct business in pursuit of this objective. We the impact property owners are requesting a meeting as soon as possible to present our concerns to FERC to review what recourse is available to address these concerns.

In the Bi—WeekIy Teleconference notes from December 2nd, it was stated that STT is beginning to exercise statutory rights in all three states where access has not yet been granted. Please provide exactly what are STT statutory rights specifically. How those rights will be enforced and implemented. I am also requesting what rights the property owners have and a detailed description of what and how they can be exercised.

I am requesting that Continue reading Forcing dependence for information on the organization perpetrating this attack is unconscionable –Carol Singletary