Tag Archives: Sabal Trail Transmission

Say no to pipeline bait and switch –Marihelen Wheeler

June 1, 2014Environment, FERC, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hazards, Law, Marion County, Safety, Suwannee County, Texas, Waterbait and switch, Congress, environment, FERC, FL-03, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hazards, House of Representatives, John S. Quarterman, Law, Marihelen Wheeler, Marion County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Texas, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

This op-ed spells out actions by Sabal Trail and FERC, that it interprets as deception, and it concludes we can all say no to that unnecessary pipeline. I’ve added a few pictures and links.

Marihelen Wheeler wrote an op-ed in the Ocala StarBanner 1 June 2014, Floridians can and must say no to gas pipeline,

It should be called “psychological bait and switch.” This tactic is being used by corporations trying to engage and solicit residents’ support for controversial projects that will negatively impact those residents. Among the most recent projects is the proposed Sabal Trail gas pipeline that will disturb about 13,670 acres of Florida land.

A company’s first move is to propose an idea that is so distasteful that, Continue reading Say no to pipeline bait and switch –Marihelen Wheeler →

Duke gas plants to be fueled by Sabal Trail fracked methane

May 24, 2014Citrus County, FL PSC, Florida, Polk County, Suwannee CountyBartow, Citrus County, Citrus County Pipeline, coal, Crystal River, Duke Energy, Florida, Florida PSC, FPL, Hine Energy, John S. Quarterman, Live Oak, natural gas, NextEra Energy, nuclear, Polk County, Progress Energy, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee CountyJohn S. Quarterman

Tuesday May 27th Duke plans to file with FL PSC for approval to use Sabal Trail fracked methane at its former Crystal River nuclear site in Citrus County, Florida, and apparently for two other Duke plants in Suwannee County and Polk County. The Citrus County Commissioners have a Comprehensive Plan change for Duke on their agenda for that same day, May 27th, for a Public Hearing June 10th.

We already knew last December that Duke’s usual spokesman said Sabal Trail “plans to provide the gas” for Duke’s plant, which explains why Sabal Trail proposed last November a Citrus County Pipeline that goes right to Duke’s site. And now we have further confirmation.

Sabal Trail’s current top news story is by Robby Douglas in Citrus Daily 15 May 2014, Duke to build natural gas plant here, close coal plants, Continue reading Duke gas plants to be fueled by Sabal Trail fracked methane →

LNG export to Europe with the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)?

May 23, 2014Economy, Florida, Fracking, Law, LNGEconomy, Europe, export, FPL, Fracking, Free Trade, Hungary, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, Poland, Romania, Sabal Trail Transmission, Slovakia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TAFTA, Transatlantic Free Trade Area, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP, Ukraine, VietnamJohn S. Quarterman

More “free trade” LNG export destinations from Florida will open up if the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) passes, to the 28 EU member countries:

Many of those countries currently get fracked gas from Russia:

Continue reading →

Williams Transco explosion in Appomattox Virginia 2008-11-14

May 18, 2014Alabama, Appomattox County, Corrosion, Explosion, Marengo County, PHMSA, VirginiaAlabama, Appomattox County, corrosion, explosion, fine, Florida Southeast Connection, John S. Quarterman, Marengo County, PHMSA, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Transco, Virginia, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

Almost $1 million PHMSA fine to Williams Transco for safety regulation violations that let corrosion continue until a pipeline exploded near Appomattox, Virginia in 2008, taking out two homes and injuring five people, with local and state governments footing the bill as usual for the pipeline company failure. Yet Transco let much the same thing happen again in 2011 in Marengo County, Virginia, after which even PHMSA said “Transco has a history of cathodic protection [corrosion] concerns on other segments.”

The Lynchburg News & Advance wrote 11 August 2009, Company fined in Appomattox pipeline explosion, Continue reading Williams Transco explosion in Appomattox Virginia 2008-11-14 →

Pipeline accident risk in Florida springs heartland: go solar instead

May 13, 2014Alachua County, Columbia County, Explosion, FERC, FL PSC, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hazards, Leak, Solar, Suwannee County, Waterexplosion, FERC, FL PSC, Floridan Aquifer, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, karst, leak, limestone, OSFR, Our Santa Fe River, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, springs, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Springs before pipelines, say board members of Our Santa Fe River in central Florida, and let’s get on with clean solar power.

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and Jim Tatum wrote for the Gainesville Sun 25 April 2014, Pipeline in springs heartland would be at risk for accidents,

Is another gas highway pipeline inevitable in our Florida springs heartland?

They quote FPL and note the unanimous October 2013 Florida Public Service Commission (FL PSC) approval of the Sabal Trail Transmission pipeline project, including FL PSC Commissioner Julie Brown saying, “The need for this project is indisputable at this time.” Then they dispute that need. Continue reading Pipeline accident risk in Florida springs heartland: go solar instead →

FPL’s hometown newspaper about Sabal Trail pipeline opposition

May 4, 2014Economy, FERC, Florida, Hazards, Levy CountyBeth Gordon, Economy, FERC, Florida, FPL, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Juno Beach, Levy County, Palm Beach County, Sabal Trail Transmission, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

The Palm Beach Post is located 15 miles from FPL’s headquarters in Juno Beach, and right at the end of the extra pipeline FPL built from the end of the Transco -> Sabal -> FSC pipeline the last few miles to the sea, which would make LNG export even more convenient.

Susan Salisbury wrote yesterday for the Palm Beach Post, FPL’s proposed $3.5 billion natural gas pipeline faces opposition,

Beth Gordon, a former Wellington resident, moved to Williston in rural Levy County five years ago. She and her husband own a 32-acre horse farm there.

“It’s as close to perfect as it gets. Except now I’m being forced to accept an outrageous risk that I want no part of,” said Gordon, an attorney.

And why should Floridians or Georgians or Alabamans have to accept that risk for the profit of FPL or of Houston-based Spectra Energy?

-jsq

FERC hearing packed by activists

May 4, 2014FERC, Florida, Law, LNG, New YorkCheseapeake Climate Action Network, Constitution Pipeline, Cove Point, EPA, export, FERC, Florida, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, Minisink, New York, Sabal Trail Transmission, Sane Energy Project, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

FERC’s rubberstamp machine may yet be held accountable by the citizens, and by other government agencies and courts that are taxpayer-funded, not by the industries they regulate like FERC.

Sane Energy Project posted 4 May 2014, Reportback: The Minisink Hearing, or, FERC Gets a Clue,

A court officer was asked if similar hearings were always as crowded. “Never,” he said. This is a trend that’s building. Before Spectra, the average number of interveners on any project was about 19. Now, it’s typical for there to be 300-500 interveners, and for thousands of comments to be filed. Lately, activists are getting under FERC’s skin even more, showing up repeatedly at hearings, Commission meetings, and soon, a rally in front of their offices.

Ted Glick, coordinator for Cheseapeake Climate Action Network, one of the main groups fighting the Cove Point LNG export terminal in Maryland, said, Continue reading FERC hearing packed by activists →

Who funds FERC?

May 4, 2014Economy, FERC, Lawaccountability, Commerce and Energy, Congress, Economy, Energy and Power, Ethics, FERC, fossil fuels, funding, H.R. 6, independence, John S. Quarterman, Law, ordinance, oversight, regulation, regulatory capture, Sabal Trail Transmission, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

If you guessed the taxpayers, as I did, nope. On FERC’s own About FERC web page:

The Commission is funded through costs recovered by the fees and annual charges from the industries it regulates.

To make it even richer, the sentence before that reads:

There is no review of FERC decisions by the President or Congress, maintaining FERC’s independence as a regulatory agency, and providing for fair and unbiased decisions.

But FERC’s web page says nothing about FERC’s independence from the industries it regulates.

Here’s Investopedia’s definition of regulatory capture:

Regulatory capture happens when a regulatory agency, formed to act in the public’s interest, eventually acts in ways that benefit the industry it is supposed to be regulating, rather than the public.

Maybe that’s why Continue reading Who funds FERC? →

EPA questions about Sabal Trail in Ocala newspaper

May 1, 2014Florida, Georgia, Lowndes County, Marion CountyAlachua County, Andrea Grover, Citrus County, compressor station, Duke Energy, Dunnellon, EPA, Florida, FPL, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Marion County, Ocala, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Similar to the coverage in the Moultrie Observer (it even mentions the closed Lowndes County landfill), plus some local observations and some quotes by Beth Gordon.

Bill Thompson wrote for the Ocala StarBanner yesterday, EPA questions gas pipeline planned through North Central Florida,

Finally, the EPA wants the report to incorporate the project’s compliance with the federal Clean Air Act. That would be a concern for residents near Dunnellon.

The company intends to build a compressor station south of the town, near State Road 200.

Environmental regulators seek to learn how much greenhouse gases and potentially hazardous pollutants will be emitted at such sites.

Continue reading →

Bluegrass fracked methane pipeline cancelled

May 1, 2014Economy, Fracking, Georgia, Kentucky, Law, LNG, Lowndes Countyanalysts, Bluegrass Pipeline, carbon bubble, death spiral, downgrade, Economy, export, Florida Southeast Connection, FPL, Fracking, Georgia, Gulf of Mexico, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Kentucky, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, Marcellus Shale, Sabal Trail Transmission, SpectraBusters, Transco, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

Williams Co.’s excuse: “an insufficient level of firm customer commitment” for its Marcellus shale to Gulf of Mexico gas pipe. That’s corporate-ese for it got to be too expensive; it’s the same thing a company that wanted to put a biomass plant in Lowndes County said. Couldn’t have had anything to do with massive public resistance, oh no. This is the same Williams Co. that owns Transco, first in the chain of the Transco -> Sabal Trail -> Florida Southeast Connection pipeline through Alabama and Georgia to Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts, where there are already several companies authorized for LNG export. That one could get too expensive, too.

Tim Rudell wrote for WKSU 29 April 2014, Bluegrass pipeline project through Ohio and beyond is cancelled, Continue reading Bluegrass fracked methane pipeline cancelled →