Tag Archives: Rick Scott

Suwannee County Votes to Send Letter to Army Corps Of Engineers Asking for Independent Geological Study

April 5, 2016FERC, Florida, Law, Suwannee County, USACE, WaterChris Mericle, Debra Johnson, Dennis Price, Duke Energy, Falmouth Spring, FPL, NextEra Energy, Rick Scott, RICO, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, Suwannee River, Suwannee River State ParkDebra Johnson

Tuesday April 5th Suwannee County voted 4 to 1 , with chairman Bashaw dissenting, to send a letter requesting that the Corps perform an independent environmental study concerning the geological omissions Sabal Trail withheld from their Environmental Study submitted to FERC to receive a permit to bore under the Suwannee River.

After comparing Sabal Trail’s EIS with that of local geologist Dennis Price, Chris Mericle discovered omissions and discrepancies in this report endangering the Floridan Aquifer which supplies 60% of Florida’s water supply as well as endangering millions of citizens and hundreds, if not thousand, of springs.

Sabal Trail submitted information for the pipeline permit to FERC stating the closest sinkhole to the pipeline route boring under the Suwannee River would be 750′ from the pipeline which is not true. Commissioner Wainwright and other BOCC officials discovered one active sinkhole 75′ from the 36″ fracked gas pipeline. In fact there is a sinkhole smack in the middle of the pipeline route with sinkholes covering the entire area.

SBOCC discovered this after attending a hike of the pipeline route and Falmouth Springs, which is part of a interconnected cave system that extends to the Suwannee River crossing at Suwannee River State Park which Sabal Trail claims is 100′ underground, when in fact one can see the springs practically at ground level and is part of this connected cave system and caverns named the Falmouth Cathedral Cave System. There are in fact many of these cave systems all connected within the pipeline route and throughout Florida.

Thank you SBOCC and all who assisted in this effort.

All counties in North Florida and central Florida should follow suite.

Perhaps a RICO investigation by the US Attorney General of Spectra Energy/Sabal Trail and the oil industry funded pipeline government agency, FERC, as well as invested Florida governor Scott is in order.

I do believe the time has come to stop this dangerous gas pipeline to export the natural gas that fracking invested FPL, Duke Energy and NextEra wish to export to other countries with zero benefit to the citizens of Florida.

Deb

What companies are in Sabal Trail and related?

December 9, 2015Duval County, FERC, LNG, Suwannee Countyboondoggle, conflict of interest, corruption, Duke Energy, Duval County, FERC, Florida, Florida Power and Light, FPL, Gulfstream, Jacksonville, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, LNG, Rick Scott, Sabal Trail Management, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Transco, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Who is Sabal Trail, anyway? Counties resolving against Sabal Trail might want to make their resolutions against any new pipeline, since there’s already another one proposed for Suwannee County (see below).

Sabal Trail owned and operated by….

Reviving a pipeline idea that failed in the Florida PSC in 2009, FPL put out a request for proposals that was won by Sabal Trail in 2013. Note the original proposed Sabal Trail path in the map below did not go through Georgia; why that changed is a long story apparently only known in full to Spectra, FPL, and Williams Co.

Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC was formed by Continue reading What companies are in Sabal Trail and related? →

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 →

FL Gov. Scott Sabal Trail permit conflict of interest –FloridaBulldog

August 4, 2015Ethics, Florida, Hamilton County, Law, Suwannee CountyAdam Putnam, Agriculture Commissioner, conservation, Dan Christensen, Department of Environmental Protection, Energy Transfer, Energy Transfer Equity, Environmental Resources Permit, ERP, Ethics, FL-DEP, Florida, FloridaBulldog, Gulfstream, Hamilton County, Jeff Atwater, John S. Quarterman, Kelcy Warren, Law, north Florida, Pam Bondi, PVR Partners, Regency Energy Partners, Rick Scott, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, south Georgia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, submerged state lands, Suwannee County, Transco, watershed, Williams Company, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Florida’s Governor Rick Scott owns Williams Co. and other pipeline company stock, and that’s an issue with FL-DEP’s intent to issue a permit for Sabal Trail, says the reporter who broke the Rick Scott conflict story a year ago.

Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog, 4 August 2015, Gov. Scott’s pipeline investment gets a boost from Florida environmental regulators,

The Board of Trustees of Florida’s Internal Improvement Trust Fund owns the submerged lands, according to DEP’s notice. The board is comprised of the governor and Cabinet — Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and state chief financial officer Jeff Atwater.

There’s much more in the story, including that WWALS Watershed Coalition intends to file a protest with FL-DEP by this Friday, August 7th. WWALS confirms that, and adds: Continue reading FL Gov. Scott Sabal Trail permit conflict of interest –FloridaBulldog →

Sabal Trail to TECO to Jaxport for LNG export?

October 18, 2014Alabama, Duval County, EPA, Ethics, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, LNG, PoliticsAlabama, campaign, contribution, Duval County, EPA, Ethics, FGT, Florida, FPL, Fracking, Georgia, Gulfstream, Jacksonville, Jaxport, John S. Quarterman, LNG, LNG export, Nathan Deal, Politics, Rick Scott, Robert Bentley, Sabal Trail Transmission, Sempra Energy, SONAT, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tampa, TECOJohn S. Quarterman

Marcellus Shale fracked methane through Atlantic Sunrise to Transco to Sabal Trail to TECO to Jaxport for LNG export? And maybe an explanation for why Sempra Energy, like Spectra Energy, donated to both GA Gov. Nathan Deal’s and AL Gov. Robert Bentley’s re-election campaigns. Sempra apparently wants to export Marcellus Shale gas from Jacksonville, and Sabal Trail is the proposed conduit for that through Alabama and Georgia to Florida.

John Burr wrote for Jacksonville Business Journal 10 March 2014, TECO Peoples Gas looks to expand natural gas pipeline to Jacksonville, Continue reading Sabal Trail to TECO to Jaxport for LNG export? →

FERC formal filing process for Sabal Trail

October 7, 2014Alabama, FERC, Florida, Georgia, History, LawAlabama, FERC, Florida, FPL, Georgia, History, John S. Quarterman, Law, Nathan Deal, NextEra Energy, Rick Scott, Robert J. Bentley, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

The end of October is the beginning of the formal FERC filing process, at least if Sabal Trail files October 31st as Andrea Grover has predicted. FERC not only takes comments during a formal filing, which usually lasts about a year, but as that process begins your group also can become an intervenor, which provides additional legal capabilities. Follow the link for details about FERC’s pre-filing and formal filing processes, with graphical and textual timelines.

Commenting with and watching the FERC process, or filing as an intervenor, is a great way to keep up with what’s going on. But depending on FERC alone would be foolish, since the same day Albany and Dougherty County citizens overwhelmingly opposed the pipeline in a public meeting, FERC approved Cove Point LNG export in Maryland, despite massive public opposition.

Fortunately, it’s not just FERC that decides Continue reading FERC formal filing process for Sabal Trail →

Albany Herald breaks GA Gov. Deal Spectra campaign contributions

October 4, 2014Alabama, Dougherty County, Ethics, Florida, Georgia, Politics, Tennessee, TexasAlabama, Bill Haslam, conflict of interest, corruption, Dougherty County, Ethics, Florida, Georgia, Houston, John S. Quarterman, Michelle Nunn, Nathan Deal, Politics, Rick Scott, Robert Bentley, Sabal Trail Transmission, scandal, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tennessee, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

The Deal campaign not only accepted Spectra’s PAC money, but then tried to claim (incorrectly) that Michelle Nunn’s campaign for U.S. Senate also accepted Spectra PAC money: so Deal’s campaign took Spectra’s money and then told an untruth about who else might have. The best Spectra’s Andrea Grover could come up with was “economic development”; nevermind Sabal Trail would use out-of-state crews to install its fracked methane pipeline, it would bring almost no jobs to Georgia, and it isn’t even selling gas to Georgia. Neither even tried to implicate Jason Carter’s campaign for governor, because Carter’s campaign finance filings show zero contributions from Spectra’s PAC. The incumbent governors of Alabama and Tennessee, however, did take money from Spectra’s PAC.

Gov. Nathan Deal’s campaign accepts contributions from Spectra Energy: Houston energy giant says its PAC contributes to campaigns of candidates who favor economic development, Continue reading Albany Herald breaks GA Gov. Deal Spectra campaign contributions →

Spectra Energy and gas pipeline campaign contributions to GA Gov. Nathan Deal

September 19, 2014Alabama, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, LNG, Louisiana, Tennessee, TexasAECOM, Alabama, Bill Haslam, California, Colorado, Consolidated Pipe & Supply Company, Ernst & Young, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Jason Carter, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Louisiana, Mark Udall, Mary Landrieu, Mexico, Nathan Deal, NextEra, Rick Scott, Robert J. Bentley, Sempra, SpectraBusters, Tennessee, TexasJohn S. Quarterman

Tied for number 3 and receiving $10,000 in 2014 Top Vendors/Recipients from Spectra Energy according to OpenSecrets.org: Governor Nathan Deal of Georgia, where Spectra wants to gouge a 100-foot right of way for its 36-inch fracked methane Sabal Trail pipeline. Actually, Nathan Deal’s campaign committee has accepted at least $21,300 from natural gas pipeline companies, including $15,000 from companies that build LNG export terminals (Sempra and AECOM) or that build pipelines to LNG export terminals (Spectra and AECOM). and $6,300 from an Alabama pipeline supply company (Consolidated Pipe & Supply Company).

Tied with Deal for third and also receiving $10,000 from Spectra:

Governor Robert J. Bentley of Alabama, where the Sabal Trail pipeline starts, connecting to Williams Transco’s Hillabee Expansion Project, which along with Sabal Trail and FSC forms the Southeast Market Expansion Project.
Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee, where Spectra wants to start its same-size Renaissance Pipeline to run through northeast Alabama and north Georgia past Atlanta.

Let’s look at candidate Nathan Deal’s most recent Georgia campaign contribution disclosure report contributions, for June 30th 2014: Continue reading Spectra Energy and gas pipeline campaign contributions to GA Gov. Nathan Deal →

Another newspaper against Sabal Trail: The Gainesville Sun

July 30, 2014Alachua County, Economy, Environment, FERC, Florida, Hazards, Leak, WaterAir, Alachua County, aquifer, corruption, Economy, environment, FERC, Florida, FPL, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, leak, pollution, Rick Scott, rivers, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, springs, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

A newspaper in Gainesville, with more than twice the population of Ocala, picked up the same newspaper editorial against the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline, reiterating that unless serious risks can be addressed, the pipeline isn’t worth it, and besides, it’s not clear Florida even needs the power other than to profit big utilities (and pipeline companies, and apparently Florida Governor Rick Scott). Hm, marching northwards, Ocala, Gainesville, next Lake City, then how about Valdosta, Moultrie, and Albany? Newspapers and TV stations in those places have covered the pipeline. Time for their editorial boards to do what just happened in Ocala and Gainesville.

30 July 2014, Editorial: A pipeline’s purpose, Continue reading Another newspaper against Sabal Trail: The Gainesville Sun →

Gov. Scott tied to Everglades drilling: driller kicked out of Florida

July 30, 2014Ethics, Florida, Fracking, Law, Politicscorruption, Ethics, Everglades, Florida, Fracking, Hughes, John S. Quarterman, Law, Politics, Rick Scott, Sabal Trail Transmission, Schlumberger, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Rick Scott’s financial ties to fracking got that driller kicked out of Florida. Now that Gov. Scott has been tied to the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline, maybe Florida will kick Spectra out of the state, too.

Steve Bousquet wrote for the Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau 13 June 2014, Scott’s stake in oil company tied to Collier drilling riles environmentalists, Continue reading Gov. Scott tied to Everglades drilling: driller kicked out of Florida →