Tag Archives: Lowndes County

Sabal Trail wants to proceed

March 5, 2016Florida, Georgia, Law, Lowndes County, Marion County, Safety, WaterBrian Fahrenthold, Florida, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lowndes County, Marion County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

In a letter Sabal Trail sent to multiple Florida county commissions, the most important point is “We… are on track to place the pipeline in-service by May 1, 2017.” Important to Spectra Energy, because if they slip that date they could forfeit a $200 million bond and possibly the contract for the project, and they’re having some problems with that, since despite what they imply they do not have all the permits they need.

Then there are those glossed over in passing, such as “with certain conditions” and Continue reading Sabal Trail wants to proceed →

Movie online: At What Cost? Pipelines, Pollution and Eminent Domain in the Rural South

February 13, 2016Corruption, Economy, Environment, Ethics, Law, Solaraquifer, Brooks County, Chattahoochee River, Colquitt County, conservation, eminent domain, environment, Flint River, Floridan Aquifer, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, landowners, Law, Live Oak, Live Oak Womans Club, Lowndes County, Mark Albertin, north Florida, Ochlockonee River, Okapilco Creek, Palmetto Pipeline, pipeline, pollution, private property, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Santa Fe River, south Georgia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE, watershed, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Now streaming online: At What Cost? Pipelines, Pollution and Eminent Domain in the Rural South, by Mark Albertin. And yes, he’s happy for it to be shown elsewhere; just ask, and you can set up a local viewing like in Live Oak last night, or the previous premieres along the Georgia coast.

Most of the issues are the same for Spectra Energy’s invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline as for Kinder Morgan’s invading Palmetto petroleum products pipeline that is the subject of the movie. Thanks to Push Back the Pipeline for getting this movie made about Kinder Morgan’s proposed petroleum products pipeline from South Carolina across the Georgia coast to Jacksonville, Florida. Special thanks to Eileen, Lori, and Debra and the Woman’s Club of Live Oak for the movie showing last night, to WWALS Watershed Coalition and the Woman’s Club of Live Oak for hosting, and to Our Santa Fe River, and Gulf Restoration Network for helping promote it.

Don’t forget the hike to the Suwannee River Sabal Trail crossing 8:15 AM Thursday 28 February 2016 with Suwannee and Hamilton County Commissioners.

Spectra Energy of Houston, Texas wants to gouge Sabal Trail from Continue reading Movie online: At What Cost? Pipelines, Pollution and Eminent Domain in the Rural South →

Videos: Citizens against Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail pipeline to FERC in Albany, Moultrie, Valdosta, and Lake City

October 3, 2015Colquitt County, Columbia County, Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, Ethics, FERC, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, Law, Lowndes County, WaterAlbany, Colquitt County, Columbia County, community, compressor, Dougherty County, eminent domain, environment, Ethics, FERC, Flint River, Flint Riverkeeper, Florida, Floridan Aquifer, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Lake City, Law, Lowndes County, Moultrie, Okapilco Creek, Our Santa Fe River, people, property rights, SpectraBusters, Suwannee River, Valdosta, Water, Withlacoochee River, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Citizens renamed Sabal Trail the Sinkhole Pipeline because it doesn’t belong in the sinkhole-prone karst limestone of the Floridan Aquifer. FERC can’t say they weren’t told, since videographers followed them through all four cities so far; see for yourself.

Albany, Monday 28 September 2015, videos by Thomas Swain

Moultrie, Tuesday 29 September 2015, videos by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE)

“You tell us you’re sorry and it happens again”, said Continue reading Videos: Citizens against Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail pipeline to FERC in Albany, Moultrie, Valdosta, and Lake City →

Citizens oppose Sabal Trail in Albany, Moultrie, and Valdosta this week –WTOC, Albany, GA

September 28, 2015Brooks County, Colquitt County, Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, Law, Lee County, Lowndes County, Safety, Suwannee CountyAlbany, Brooks County, Colquitt County, compressor, Dougherty County, environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lee County, Lowndes County, Mitchell County, Moultrie, Safety, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Terrell County, Valdosta, WTOCJohn S. Quarterman

Property rights, environment, health, and safety are why citizens oppose Sabal Trail, including tonight in Albany or Tuesday in Moultrie or Wednesday in Valdosta. Be sure to show up by 5:30 PM to sign up to speak.

Caitlyn Chastain, WTOC, 28 September 2015, Public meetings ahead for Sabal Trail Pipeline, starting today,

It’s a project that has gained a lot of attention and a lot of criticism.

Many people are concerned Continue reading Citizens oppose Sabal Trail in Albany, Moultrie, and Valdosta this week –WTOC, Albany, GA →

Call DNR board before Wednesday to stop river land giveaway to Sabal Trail

September 20, 2015Brooks County, Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Georgia, Lowndes County, Stewart County, WaterBrooks County, Chattahoochee River, Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Flint River, forestry, GA DNR, Georgia, Jeff Davis County, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Ochlockonee River, property rights, SpectraBusters, Stewart County, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Leases and permanent easements to cross the Chattahoochee River, Flint River, Ochlockonee River, and Withlacoochee River: that’s what the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Board proposes to vote on this Wednesday morning, in Atlanta, far from any of the proposed crossings or the directly affected counties, with no publ ic hearing and minimal public announcement. You can call them or send them email to ask them not to do that. Or show up in Atlanta 9AM Wednesday 23 September 2015 and speak; bring a written statement if you do that. Atlanta metro people, we need you to go to that meeting!

Agenda at this link. DNR board list at this link. DNR didn’t supply any contact information for its board members, but DNR’s own contact is: Continue reading Call DNR board before Wednesday to stop river land giveaway to Sabal Trail →

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 →

Against Sabal Trail in Savannah 2015-05-21

May 19, 2015Chatham County, Environment, Georgia, Law, Wateraquifer, Chatham County, conservation, Economy, environment, Georgia, Jacksonville, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, north Florida, Palmetto Project, pipeline, Push Back the Pipeline, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, Savannah, Sierra Club, south Georgia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, T. Boone Pickens, Water, watershed, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Maybe Push Back the Pipeline can help convince Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and GDOT to oppose Sabal Trail like they successfully opposed the Palmetto pipeline. In Savannah Thursday May 21st a landowner affected by Sabal Trail and WWALS Watershed Coalition President John S. Quarterman will make the case at the Coastal Group of the Georgia Sierra Club. More details and background from WWALS, and see below about the event. All opponents of the Sabal Trail and Palmetto pipelines are invited.

Connect Savannah, today, (also on Push Back the Pipeline), Georgia’s Other Unwanted and Unneeded Pipeline,

When: Thu., May 21, 7 p.m.
Phone: 912-961-6190
Price: Free
Where: First Presbyterian Church
520 Washington Ave Savannah-Eastside
912-354-7615
www.fpc.presbychurch.net
The Palmetto Pipeline is not the only pipeline project in Georgia Continue reading Against Sabal Trail in Savannah 2015-05-21 →

Sabal Trail as environmental and property rights issue @ LCDP 2015-06-01

May 11, 2015Environment, Georgia, Law, Lowndes County, Politics, Watereminent domain, environment, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, LCDP, Lowndes County, Lowndes County Democratic Party, property rights, SAVE, SpectraBusters, Valdosta, WACE, Water, WWALSJohn S. Quarterman

SpectraBusters board member Debra Johnson will be a panelist at the June 1st Lowndes County Democratic Party monthly meeting about environmental issues and property rights, 6PM 1 June 2015, at the Lowndes County Board of Elections office, 2808 North Oak Street, Valdosta, Georgia. This topic obviously includes among other issues the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline. Other panelists will be from the Lowndes County Commission, WWALS, WACE, and SAVE.

Anyone can speak up from the audience, and local TV covered Continue reading Sabal Trail as environmental and property rights issue @ LCDP 2015-06-01 →

Video dramatization of landowner receiving Sabal Trail eminent domain threatening letter

April 21, 2015Georgia, Law, Lowndes Countyeminent domain, Georgia, Larry Rodgers, Law, Lowndes County, O.C.G.A. 22-3-88, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WACEJohn S. Quarterman

Lowndes County citizen Larry Rodgers received this letter from Sabal Trail as dramatized in this video, which also contains many “Pipeline? No!” signs with spectrabusters.org on them, thanks to WACE. That letter and a response by Larry Rodgers’ attorney Bill Langdale are included with the SpectraBusters letter to the judge in Leesburg, GA, where Sabal Trail is demanding eminent domain authority against other landowners, and those landowners are countersuing for criminal trespass. Continue reading Video dramatization of landowner receiving Sabal Trail eminent domain threatening letter →

Sabal Trail repeatedly sent letters to landowners claiming Georgia eminent domain authority –SpectraBusters to judge

April 17, 2015Brooks County, Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Georgia, Law, Lee County, Lowndes County, Stewart CountyAlton Paul Burns, Bell, Brooks County, Case number 14CV208RS, Colquitt County, criminal trespass, Dougherty County, eminent domain, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Judge Rucker Smith, Law, Lee County, Leesburg, Lowndes County, Mitchell County, O.C.G.A. 22-3-88, SpectraBusters, Stewart County, trespassJohn S. Quarterman

SpectraBusters sent examples of Sabal Trail’s many threats of eminent domain, in this letter to Leesburg for the ongoing eminent domain and criminal trespass trial.

Re: Case number 14CV208RS
Judge Rucker Smith

To: Cindy Clark
Civil Deputy Clerk
County Courthouse
100 Leslie Highway
Leesburg, Georgia 31763

If it please the court,

SpectraBusters, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit corporation with board members and other participants in all three states directly affected by the Sabal Trail proposed pipeline: Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. The SpectraBusters board voted Monday March 30th 2015 to send this letter to the court to express our concerns about Sabal Trail’s attempts to claim Georgia eminent domain long before it tried to claim customers in Georgia, as well as possible ill effects throughout the pipeline route, especially in Georgia, if the judge were to rule in this case for application of Georgia eminent domain. Even with Sabal Trail’s claimed agreement with the Metropolitan Gas Authority of Georgia (MGAG), Sabal Trail is still “a long way” Continue reading Sabal Trail repeatedly sent letters to landowners claiming Georgia eminent domain authority –SpectraBusters to judge →