Tag Archives: Law

Bad new compressor location, and need 90 days more comment period –Dougherty County Commission to FERC

July 21, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Ethics, Georgia, Law, SafetyAfrican-American, Albany, compressor, Dorothy Hubbard, Dougherty County, economic justice, environmental justice, Ethics, Georgia, Indian Creek, John S. Quarterman, Law, Oakridge, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WFXL, WinterwoodJohn S. Quarterman

Go Dougherty! Where are the rest of our County Commissions with their concerns about Sabal Trail suing their citizens, drilling test wells, and preparing to bore under our rivers, fields, forests, and near our schools and homes? You can still contact them, and Governor Deal, and ecomment to FERC.

Follow this link to the text of the Albany letter and here’s news by Tracey Smith, WFXL, 20 July 2015, County commissioners take united stand against Sabal Trail,

At Monday’s Board of Commissioners meeting, every board member signed a letter to send to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

While members of the board have Continue reading Bad new compressor location, and need 90 days more comment period –Dougherty County Commission to FERC →

Albany protester: we’ve been lied to from the beginning by Sabal Trail 2015-07-17

July 20, 2015Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, Explosion, Georgia, Law, Leak, Safety, WaterAlbany, Dougherty County, Economy, environment, explosion, Georgia, Jeff Hutchison, John S. Quarterman, Law, leak, Michelle Hutchison, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Seems like Albany, Georgia residents are reaching the same conclusion Searsmont, Maine residents reached after a compressor station blew out: “We’ve been lied to!”

Jarvis Robertson, WFXL, 17 July 2015, Residents continue fight against pipeline

Members of the community gathered Friday morning to let Sabal Trail Transmission know that they weren’t giving up on the fight.

A silent protest was held Friday morning in front of STT located on Evelyn Avenue.

Protestors are still concerned about damage the compression pipeline could do to the Albany-Dougherty area.

“There’s no reason for it to be in the city limits,” said Michelle Hutchison. “It could blow up and catch on fire. It needs to be Continue reading Albany protester: we’ve been lied to from the beginning by Sabal Trail 2015-07-17 →

This compressor station is a terrible injustice against this community –Gloria Gaines 2015-07-11

July 18, 2015Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Ethics, Georgia, Law, SafetyAfrican-American, compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, environmental justice, Ethics, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Thomas SwainJohn S. Quarterman

Nobody says it better than Dougherty County native Gloria Gaines, this time at the protest last Saturday at the Albany Sabal Trail office.

This is a terrible imposition on this majority African-American community….
It is a terrible environmental justice against this community. And I’m just happy to see all the people out here today, because they clearly understand: if we don’t want this in our community, that we must stand up and say so….
This is our beloved Dougherty County and we’re all fighting Continue reading This compressor station is a terrible injustice against this community –Gloria Gaines 2015-07-11 →

Deny Sabal Trail, said U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, and FERC ignored him

June 19, 2015Agriculture, Alabama, Compressor, Dougherty County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Law, Lee County, Safety, Stewart County, WaterAgriculture, Air, Alabama, Albany, aquifer, compressor, Dougherty County, eminent domain, FERC, FGT, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, GDOT, Georgia, Georgia Department of Transportation, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, karst, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, lawsuit, Lee County, Mitchell County, noise, Palmetto Pipeline, pollution, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Sanford Bishop, sinkhole, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Stewart County, Transco, trespass, Water, Webster CountyJohn S. Quarterman

Citing the GDOT denial of KMI’s Palmetto Pipeline and numerous specific hazards of Spectra Energy’s proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline (sinkholes in karst limestone and a compressor station next to Albany’s water wells, all for no benefit to Georgia, by a company with a poor safety record), U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-02) wrote to FERC (PDF):

I believe that FERC should deny STT’s application for a Certificate of Public Necessity.

And he told FERC to tell Sabal Trail to stop suing his constituents for eminent domain.

A year after Rep. Bishop listened in Albany for two hours to complaints about Sabal Trail, Dougherty County and Albany, Georgia filed followup letters to their resolutions against that pipeline. Neither FERC nor Sabal Trail answered them, so their Representative in the U.S. Congress forwarded their letters with that sharp cover letter. Three weeks later, FERC still hasn’t even filed his letter in their e-comment system, much less responded to it.

Just how lawless is FERC, anyway? Doesn’t a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations give them pause? Continue reading Deny Sabal Trail, said U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, and FERC ignored him →

FERC still stonewalling Dougherty County Commission and landowners about Sabal Trail

June 19, 2015Agriculture, Dougherty County, FERC, Hazards, Law, Safety, Trees, WaterAgriculture, air quality, Dougherty County, Dougherty County Commission, economic justice, FERC, forests, geology, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, Ned, noise, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, soil, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Trees, Water, wetlands, wildlifeJohn S. Quarterman

It’s not a short list; basically nothing Dougherty County previously asked has been answered by Sabal Trail or FERC:

They have not addressed the issues of (1) potential effects on geology and soil, (2) impacts on water resources and wetlands, (3) impacts on vegetation, forests, fisheries, wildlife and threatened species, (4) cumulative impacts, (5) public safety concerns, (6) purpose and need for the proposed pipeline, (7) alternatives to the preferred route, (8) air quality and noise and (9) socioeconomic factors – environmental justice.

Filed with FERC 6 April 2015 as Accession Number: 20150406-5144, “Comment of Dougherty County, Georgia under CP15-17.” Continue reading FERC still stonewalling Dougherty County Commission and landowners about Sabal Trail →

At least put Sabal Trail on hold –Moultrie resolution

June 17, 2015Colquitt County, Compressor, FERC, Georgia, Law, Safety, WaterAirport, Colquitt County, compressor, ecosystem, eminent domain, FERC, FPL, GA EPD, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, need, NextEra, property rights, Sabal Trail, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, taxes, Water, William M. McIntoshJohn S. Quarterman

Moultrie‘s review shows the Texan and Floridan FERC-enabled Sabal Trail wants Colquitt County as a cheap invasion route, even though that threatens local property rights, taxes, health, welfare, airport, and general ecosystem, while there’s no demonstrated need for the fracked methane nor any definitive plans even to sell it in Georgia, so the Moultrie city government opposes the pipeline and resolves that it should at least be put on hold until local concerns are adequately considered by FERC and GA-EPD.

So both of the counties (Dougherty and Colquitt) and both of their county seats (Albany and Moultrie) named by Sabal Trail as needing gas through MGAG have passed resolutions saying they don’t want the pipeline at all, along with Terrell County, Brooks County, Lowndes County, and Valdosta, Georgia, plus Hamilton County, Florida.

Filed with FERC 6 May 2015 as Accession Number: 20150506-0008, “City of Moultrie, Georgia submits a Resolution re the Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC Natural Gas Pipeline etc under PF14-1.” Continue reading At least put Sabal Trail on hold –Moultrie resolution →

Pipeline companies abusing public-use doctrine –Steven Caley, GreenLaw, in AJC

June 16, 2015Georgia, LawGeorgia, Greenlaw, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, Palmetto Project, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Atlanta is surrounded by pipeline invaders, and Steve Caley nailed why:

“The public-use doctrine is being twisted and abused by many companies proposing to build these pipelines that are really not for a public purpose, but for a private profit,” said Steve Caley, the interim director of Atlanta-based GreenLaw, an environmental nonprofit. “There needs to be a change in the law to further circumscribe the use of eminent domain.”

Dan Chapman, AJC, 13 June 2015, New pipelines fuel fights over property, recorded another pipeline company deliberately missing the point: Continue reading Pipeline companies abusing public-use doctrine –Steven Caley, GreenLaw, in AJC →

Texas pipeline invasion of Georgia in Los Angeles Times

June 7, 2015Agriculture, California, Georgia, LawAgriculture, Alan Zipperer, Houston, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, Palmetto Pipeline, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

The people and state of Georgia can stop this Texas invader, and if that takes a California paper implying Texans are Yankees, so be it. As well as Kinder Morgan’s Palmetto petroleum products Pipeline, why not stop Spectra’s Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline? You can sign the petition Georgia Governor Nathan Deal.

Jenny Jarvie, L.A. Times, 1 June 2015, Landowners form a pipeline rebellion in the Deep South,

“I’m trying to protect something that was passed on to me,” said Georgia resident Jimmy Helmly, who opposes the pipeline. “People from away from here, with no ties, just want to make a dollar. I understand. I believe in American capitalism. But why should I sacrifice so you can make billions?”

When the letter arrived from a Texas pipeline company Continue reading Texas pipeline invasion of Georgia in Los Angeles Times →

Ask your elected and appointed public officials to oppose Sabal Trail

May 23, 2015FERC, Georgia, Law, PoliticsAustin Scott, Casey Cagle, David Perdue, Eric Cornwell, FERC, GA EPD, GDOT, Georgia, Greenlaw, John S. Quarterman, Johnny Isakson, Judson H. Turner, Law, Nathan Deal, Politics, Russell R. McMurry, Sanford Bishop, SpectraBusters, Ted Turner, Trip AddisonJohn S. Quarterman

After you’ve signed the petition to GA Gov. Nathan Deal, you can call or write him and other state, federal, and local elected and appointed officials and ask them to oppose the unnecessary, destructive, and dangerous Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline. Georgia is the fastest growing solar market in the country, and the Georgia legislature just passed unanimously and the Governor signed a law to facilitate financing solar power. Help the pipeline shrink away from the Georgia sunshine!

State

The great state of Georgia should protect its citizens from this invader from Texas that threatens our water, our land, and our way of life.

Governor

Continue reading →

KMI playing same tricks for Palmetto as Sabal Trail did

May 22, 2015Corrosion, Georgia, Hazards, Law, PHMSA, Safety, WaterAiken County, corrosion, El Paso Pipeline, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, leaks, North Augusta, Open House, Palmetto Pipeline, PHMSA, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Savannah Riverkeeper, South Carolina, Southern Natural Gas, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Wall Street Journal, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

This meeting format sounds like the Open Houses Sabal Trail held to snow and bully landowners. And notice it’s always “80 percent survey approval”, yet we never get to see any list of landowners? Plus pipeline companies are always working to improve their safety record, except it never seems to improve. See below for some recent highlights of KMI’s long lack of safety record.

T.J. Lundeen, North Augusta Star, 21 May 2015, Palmetto Pipeline of confusion: Session in North Augusta leaves many baffled, Continue reading KMI playing same tricks for Palmetto as Sabal Trail did →