Tag Archives: Madison County

Anti-fracking resolution suggested to Thomas County, Georgia

March 19, 2015Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hamilton County, Madison CountyAlacuha County, Alton Paul Burns, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, Leon County, Madison County, Mesozoic shale, Miami-Dade County, SpectraBusters, Thomas CountyJohn S. Quarterman

Shale basins lie under our Floridan Aquifer in most of south Georgia and much of north Florida, plus northwest Georgia, so it’s time for Georgia counties to join Florida in passing anti-fracking resolutions.

Alton Burns wrote:

I submitted a request for a resolution to ban fracking in Georgia to the Thomas County Board of Commissioners on 3/15/2015. So please, I would like the people of Thomas County to reinforce this and the people of all counties in Gerogia to do likewise. Together we can stop this crime!

Here’s the text of the request he sent to the Thomas County Commission: Continue reading Anti-fracking resolution suggested to Thomas County, Georgia →

Time to comment to FERC on Sabal Trail ignoring springs on Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers

February 1, 2015Florida, Hamilton County, Madison County, Safety, Suwannee County, Wateraquifer, conservation, Debra Johnson, dye, Ellaville Spring, Falmouth Cathedral Cave System, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, Lime Spring, Lowndes County, Madison County, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, Our Santa Fe River, pipeline, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannacoochee Cave System, Suwannacoochee Spring Lime Run Spring, Suwannee Alliance for Sustainable Growth, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Suwannee River Water Management District, SWRMD, Thomas S. Edwards Jr., Water, watershed, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Here’s why you should ecomment to FERC and your elected officials right now. Sabal Trail filed key materials after FERC’s stated deadline, a Suwannee County, FL landowner points out in a FERC ecomment, also revealing Sabal Trail still didn’t address key springs upstream and down from its proposed new pipeline path, and said nothing about connecting caverns beneath the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers.

Here’s a call to action from Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson:

Good Morning,

I realize many of you have seen me (and a few others) navigate through a enormous amount of meetings, letters, social media announcements to stop the Sabal Trail Gas (fracked)Transmission Pipeline cutting through one of our most vulnerable areas of our World, the Florida Springs Heartland.

You have watched and read from the sidelines for nearly 2 years. It is time for you to act. Call it my Continue reading Time to comment to FERC on Sabal Trail ignoring springs on Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers →

Sabal Trail pipeline considered harmful for karst limestone Floridan Aquifer –FL-DEP

August 11, 2014Explosion, Florida, Hazards, Leak, Safety, Waterexplosion, FL-DEP, Florida, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Hamilton County, Hazards, Ichetucknee River, John S. Quarterman, karst, leak, limestone, Madison County, Martin County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

There’s no safe way for the yard-wide Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline through the fragile karst limestone containing the Floridan Aquifer, according to what Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection told FERC back in April. And what’s this about seven foot pipeline depth in Florida, while Spectra’s Andrea Grover complained in the Valdosta Daily Times about requests for five feet deep in Georgia?

FL-DEP points out that caves might not support a pipeline and testing or drilling could easily cause sinkholes. Plus blasting could change local hydrology.

The situation is actually worse than FL-DEP described. We don’t know that contamination couldn’t come from BCPs carried from Spectra’s Texas Eastern pipeline, or radon from the Marcellus Shale, in addition to the solvents FL-DEP mentioned. We don’t know the pipeline would carry only a gaseous product; it could be sold and used for something else. And as DEP says, it’s not just leaks that are the problem: the pipeline would require large amounts of testing water that would have to come from somewhere and go back somewhere, presumably contaminated with whatever was in the pipeline. What guarantee do we have that contamination wouldn’t go down those borings under our riverbeds?

Filed with FERC 18 April 2014 as four pages of the 74-page “Florida State Clearinghouse comments on Dockets # PF14-1, et al Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Southeast Market Pipelines Project (Sabal Trail and Florida Southeast Connection Projects).” Some of it was also submitted to FERC by Florida’s Suwannee River Water Management District, but there is new material here; especially that superimposition map. Continue reading Sabal Trail pipeline considered harmful for karst limestone Floridan Aquifer –FL-DEP →

Ted Yoho (FL-03) Town Hall in Ocala, FL tomorrow 17 March 2014

March 16, 2014Florida, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Levy County, Madison County, Marion County, Suwannee CountyAlachua County, Columbia County, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, Levy County, Madison County, Marion County, methane, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Ted YohoJohn S. Quarterman

The Congress member for all of the north Florida path of the proposed Sabal Trail methane pipeline invites you to a Town Hall in Ocala Monday.

On Ted Yoho’s facebook page, this event:

Ocala Town Hall
Hosted by Congressman Ted Yoho
6:30-7:30pm Monday 17 March 2014
3733 SW 80th Avenue, Ocala, FL

Come join me for a Town Hall meeting on Monday, March 17th at Westport High School. I’ll be there to give an update on what is happening in Washington as well as answer any questions or concerns. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

Florida’s Third Congressional District includes part or all of all of the north Florida counties on the pipeline path: Madison County, Hamilton County, Columbia County, Suwannee County, Gilchrist County, Alachua County, Levy County, and Marion County.

Continue reading →

The Trans-Pacific Partnership and LNG exports

December 28, 2013Alabama, Economy, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Jackson County, Levy County, Madison County, Madison County, Marion County, Renaissance Project, TexasAlabama, exports, Florida, Gainesville, gas, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Houston, John S. Quarterman, Levy County, Madison County, Marion County, Mo Brooks, Rennaissance Project, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Ted Poe, Ted Yoho, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

The same U.S. House subcommittee that wants to export liquid natural gas is pushing the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The two subcommittee members are from Alabama and Florida represent counties in the paths of two Spectra methane pipelines.

Ted Poe (R TX-02) of Houston, Chairman of the SUBCOMMITTEE ON TERRORISM, NONPROLIFERATION, AND TRADE of the COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES spelled out the connection to natural gas in the panel discussion for the hearing on The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Outlook and Opportunities,

Hopefully, we will change that and become an exporter, especially of natural gas.

This meshes with his remark hearing on natural gas exports:

The Department of Energy has not approved an application to export to a country we don’t have a Free Trade Agreement with in 2 years.

Presumably he meant FERC, which bills itself as an independent agency. The point remains the same: Chairman Poe wants more free trade agreements for more LNG exports. In his opening statement to the TPP hearing he spelled out that he considers the Trans-Pacific Partnership to be a free trade agreement: Continue reading The Trans-Pacific Partnership and LNG exports →

Spectra still leaving questions unanswered

December 19, 2013Colquitt County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Lowndes County, Madison CountyBenjamin Vieth, Blake Clark, Brooks County, Clyattville, Colquitt County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Madison, Madison County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, stakeholders, Susan Waller, VDTJohn S. Quarterman

Here’s how Spectra’s VP of Stakeholder Outreach Susan Waller actually implements her assertion quoted in the Valdosta Daily Times Tuesday.

“I want stakeholders to talk to us. They have to ask the questions so we can answer them,” Waller said. “Keep talking. Don’t shut down.”

Sabal Trail meeting leaves questions unanswered –VDT
Landowners from Lowndes and Brooks Counties, Georgia, and the local newspaper of record complaining questions were still unanswered by Sabal Trail and Spectra at the 16 Dec 2013 Clyattville Open House, continuing a pattern of multiple Spectra reps not answering questions.
Video of Spectra answering a question about Sabal Trail in Madison, FL @ Sabal 2013-12-17.
At the Madison, Florida Open House Tuesday, at least Spectra’s Susan Waller acknowledged (after accusing the person trying to show it to her of being “disruptive”) that her company had reported pipeline incidents to PHMSA when the evidence was right in front of her. But Sabal Trail continued to assert, “We have a safe operation”.
Video of Susan Waller refusing to answer a question @ Sabal 2013-12-17.
Nevermind she just asked “what’s your question”. Then she refused to even listen to the question.

When I asked the FERC representatives at the Madison County meeting how to get Spectra to answer questions, they said file comments with FERC.

-jsq

Protest to FERC at the last Sabal Trail gas pipeline Open Houses

December 17, 2013FERC, Florida, Madison CountyFERC, Florida, John S. Quarterman, Madison, Madison County, Open House, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

PDF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (corrected)

Valdosta, December 17,

2013 –Talk directly to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that would have to approve the Sabal Trail methane pipeline at the last Open Houses in Madison and Kissimmee, Florida, tonight. Protesters against the pipeline will be out front starting at 4PM.

When: 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM, ~~Monday, December 16^th~~ Tuesday, December 17^th 2013

Where: North Florida Community College
325 Turner Davis Dr.
Madison, FL 32340

Kissimmee Middle School
2410 Dyer Blvd.
Kissimmee, FL 34741

Why: Spectra Energy proposes a hundred-foot-wide gash through our lands for their huge 36 inch Sabal Trail gas pipeline from Alabama through Georgia to feed Florida Power and Light (FPL) and Duke Energy for no benefit to local citizens and rate hikes for FPL customers. A one-time payment is not enough for decreased property values, permanent destruction, and hazards of leaks and explosions, when FPL and Spectra and Duke would profit forever. The gas comes from fracking in Pennsylvania and Texas, destroying whole watersheds and poisoning farmlands and drinking water. Solar power is cheaper and brings jobs and energy right here where we need them.

In Conjunction with:

Continue reading →

House subcommittee wants to export gas

November 16, 2013Florida, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Levy County, Madison County, Marion County, Texasexports, Florida, Gainesville, gas, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Houston, John S. Quarterman, Levy County, Madison County, Marion County, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Ted Poe, Ted Yoho, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

Is this what that proposed pipeline is really for, exporting gas for profit of gas company executives at the cost of our local land? Rep. Ted Yoho (R FL-03) of north Florida is on this House subcommittee.

25 April 2013, NATURAL GAS EXPORTS: ECONOMIC AND GEOPOLITICAL OPPORTUNITIES: HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TERRORISM, NONPROLIFERATION, AND TRADE OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION,

Opening statement by Chairman Ted Poe (R TX-02) of Houston:

Five years ago, companies were building terminals to import natural gas at the cost of billions of dollars because analysts agreed that the United States’ economy was going to need natural gas from overseas. Today, that scenario has changed 180 percent. Import terminals lie dormant. The Department of Energy has 19 applications waiting to get permission to export natural gas. Thanks to breakthroughs, the United States’ natural gas reserves have climbed 72 percent since 2000 and 49 percent since 2005. The amount of natural gas that is technically recoverable in the United States is 97 times greater than all of the natural gas we consumed in 2011. In plain terms, this means we have an abundance of natural gas that we are not using. It is just sitting there, and this is really not smart policy, or smart business.

A big reason why is Continue reading House subcommittee wants to export gas →