Tag Archives: John S. Quarterman

Still more fracked methane leaks –NYTimes

September 5, 2015LeakJohn S. Quarterman, leak, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Every new pipeline adds to leaks from every part of the fracked methane chain. Ever heard of a leaking solar panel? No new pipelines. Solar power now. You can help stop Spectra Energy from Houston, Texas from gouging its 36-inch Sabal Trail pipeline across Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

John Schwartz, NYTimes, 18 August 2015, Methane Leaks in Natural-Gas Supply Chain Far Exceed Estimates, Study Says

A little-noted portion of the chain of pipelines and equipment that brings natural gas from the field into power plants and homes is responsible for a surprising amount of methane emissions, according to a study published on Tuesday.

Natural-gas gathering facilities, which Continue reading Still more fracked methane leaks –NYTimes →

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 →

Stop permitting fossil fuels; move to solar and wind –health professionals to FERC

September 3, 2015FERCBeyond Extreme Energy, BXE, FERC, fossil fuels, Health Care, John S. Quarterman, renewable energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

No new pipelines, fracking, or LNG export. Solar, wind, and water power now, say health professionals from all over the U.S.

JLStewCT, BXE, 1 September 2015, More Than 80 Health Professionals Demand Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Stop Unethical Experiment

Washington, DC — In an open letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), more than eighty health professionals urge the FERC to stop permitting oil and gas infrastructure and to move to clean sustainable sources of energy to protect the health of people and the planet. The construction of oil and gas projects such as unconventional fracking, pipelines, compressor stations and export terminals which pollute with cancer and disease-causing chemicals is akin to an uncontrolled health experiment that is destroying communities and risking lives of residents. These projects also harm the workers who build and maintain them. For the health of all who are involved, health professionals demand that this unethical ‘experiment’ stop.

All that and pipelines risk the Floridan Aquifer which is the source of our drinking water in Florida and south Georgia.

The FERC is Continue reading Stop permitting fossil fuels; move to solar and wind –health professionals to FERC →

FERC loses: Judge acquits Beyond Extreme activist

August 31, 2015FERC, LawBeyond Extreme Energy, BXE, FERC, First Amendment, John F. McCabe Jr., John S. Quarterman, Laura Gubisch, Law, Mark Goldstone, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

FERC is 100% funded by the industries it “regulates”, but apparently there’s at least one independent judge left, and FERC loses for persecuting the public it’s supposed to represent.

BXE, 30 August 2015, Judge Faults FERC, Acquits Beyond Extreme Energy Activist,

A member of Beyond Extreme Energy (BXE) who was arrested inside the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission building in May and charged with illegal entry was declared not guilty last week (Aug. 20) in a bench trial before Judge John F. McCabe Jr. in D.C. Superior Court.

In acquitting Laura Gubisch, Continue reading FERC loses: Judge acquits Beyond Extreme activist →

No LNG and no NextEra for Hawaii: straight to renewable energy –Gov. Ige

August 26, 2015Florida, LNG, SolarDavid Ige, Duke Energy, Florida, FPL, Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric Company, HECO, John S. Quarterman, LNG, NextEra, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Natural gas is a bridge to nowhere, and Hawaii’s governor not only rejects LNG imports, but also NextEra’s bid for its electric utility. Can you read the writing on the wall now, NextEra and FPL? Fossil fuels are done. Solar power is the future here now.

Duane Shimogawa, Pacific Business News, 24 August 2015, Gov. David Ige opposes Hawaii importing LNG, says state should focus on renewable energy, Continue reading No LNG and no NextEra for Hawaii: straight to renewable energy –Gov. Ige →

Spectra was fined for Steckman Ridge compressor blowout

August 21, 2015Bedford County, Compressor, Law, Leak, PennsylvaniaAndra Grover, Andrea Grover, Bedford County, compressor, John S. Quarterman, Law, leak, Pennsylvania, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Steckman RidgeJohn S. Quarterman

A Spectra compressor station in Pennsylvania blew oil over local crops in 2009, and Pennsylvania fined Spectra $22,000 for that in 2010. Spectra’s Andrea Grover told me in 2013 that everybody there was happy. Mike Benard explained actually that wasn’t the case. Benard later wrote sage words: Spectra Energy: Trust Facts Not Promises. Better to stop Spectra’s Albany compressor station before it has a chance to spew.

Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection, Press Release, 31 March 2010, DEP Fines Steckman Ridge $22,000 for Air, Water Quality Violations: Malfunctioning Compressor Discharged Industrial Oil to Surrounding Properties, Continue reading Spectra was fined for Steckman Ridge compressor blowout →

EPD will hold a public hearing about Sabal Trail compressor air quality permit

August 20, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Georgia, Hazards, WaterAir, Albany, comment period, compressor, Dougherty County, EPD, Eric Cornwell, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, public hearing, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

There will be another public comment period and a public hearing on Sabal Trail’s latest air quality permit application, said Eric Cornwell of GA-EPD just now by telephone. He also said:

“So far, nobody seems to want this thing. Usually somebody is for jobs or taxes, but not this time. One of the first times I’ve run into a situation where neither the residents nor the county officials want it.”

I mentioned that more than a year ago in Gilchrist County, Florida, Sabal Trail had admitted they had already Continue reading EPD will hold a public hearing about Sabal Trail compressor air quality permit →

LNG trains to U.S. Gulf and East Coasts

August 18, 2015Florida, LNG, Louisiana, Maryland, TexasCameron Parish, Cheniere Energy, Corpus Christi, Cove Point, Florida, Freeport, Hackberry, John S. Quarterman, Kenai Alaska, LNG, Louisiana, lower 48, Maryland, Parallax Enterprises, Sabine Pass, sales and purchase agremeents, shal, SPA, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

If you had any doubt the fossil fuel industry wants to export fracked methane to China, India, Korea, Japan, etc., from everywhere it can, read this article about Cheniere Energy’s plans to export from Sabine Pass, Corpus Christi, and Freeport, Texas, from Cameron Parish and Hackberry, Louisiana, and from Cove Point, Maryland. “Train” as used here just means a method of shipment, apparently by pipeline.

Housley Carr, RBN Energy, 17 June 2015, Begin The Sabine—Delivering Gas To The Lower 48’s First LNG Export Terminal, Continue reading LNG trains to U.S. Gulf and East Coasts →

New sinkhole in Lowndes County terrain Sabal Trail wants to gouge through

August 6, 2015Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Lowndes County, Solar, WaterAct of God, Assumption Parish, drinking water, FGT, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, Floridan Aquifer, Force Majeure, fragile, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, karst, limestone, Louisiana, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Shiloh Road, sinkhole, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Twice in five years a sinkhole big enough to risk rerouting a road appears in Lowndes County, Georgia, in the same fragile karst limestone Valdosta limesink terrain Sabal Trail proposes to gouge through What if a sinkhole drops under that pipeline, and, like FGT in 2013, Sabal Trail declares force majeure and doesn’t pay?

See On the LAKE Front, 2015-08-06, County and news media digging deeper on Shiloh sinkhole story, Continue reading New sinkhole in Lowndes County terrain Sabal Trail wants to gouge through →

Spectra a potential bidder for Williams Co. of Transco

August 6, 2015Economyand Marathon Petroleum Corp, Economy, ENB.TO, Enbridge Inc, Energy Transfer Equity, Enterprise Product Partners LP, EPD.N, ETE, John S. Quarterman, Kelcy Warren, Kinder Morgan, KMI, MPC.N, Phillips 66, PSX.N, Rick Scott, Sabal Trail Transmission, SE, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TransCanada Corp, Transco, TRP.TO, Williams Company, Williams Partners, WMB, WPZJohn S. Quarterman

Few taxes for “investors who receive fat yields” (such as Florida Gov. Rick Scott): that’s what Sabal Trail is for, as Spectra may be one of the bidders for Williams Company, of Transco and the Hillabee Expansion Project, where Sabal Trail aims to get its fracked methane. Not any unproven “need” by Florida. Not any nonexistant customers in Georgia. Profit by a few fat cats headquartered in Houston, Texas, plus Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

The end of this article is the bottom line (literally). Mike Stone and Greg Roumeliotis, Reuters, 5 August 2015, Exclusive: Energy Transfer advances in auction for Williams – sources,

Energy Transfer would be the latest MLP to propose using a C-corporation as a way to maximize tax advantages, increase cash flows and broaden institutional interest.

The sector had previously embraced the MLP structure because the tax burden is passed through to investors who receive fat yields. Because the partnership pays no taxes, it has a lower cost of capital.

WMB was following the lead of Kinder Morgan, according to Albert Alfonso, Seeking Alpha, 23 July 2015, Energy Transfer Equity Enters The Auction For Williams, Continue reading Spectra a potential bidder for Williams Co. of Transco →