Tag Archives: Sabal Trail Transmission

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 →

Suwannee County Commissioners and public to hike to Sabal Trail Suwannee River Crossing

February 16, 2016FERC, Florida, Hamilton County, Politics, Suwannee County, WaterFERC, Florida, Floridan Aquifer, Government, John S. Quarterman, Politics, Sabal Trail Transmission, sinkhole, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, spring, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Water, WWALSJohn S. Quarterman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Live Oak, February 10, 2016 — The date has been set to go see where Spectra Energy of Houston Texas has been permitted by the Picture by Alton Burns Federal Energy Regulatory (FERC) in Washington, DC to drill under the Suwannee River for its Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline despite widespread local opposition. The Suwannee Board of County Commissioners already voted a resolution to move Sabal Trail’s compressor station. Still mulling stronger action, the SBOCC agreed at a recent meeting to go with local guides, including WWALS Watershed Coalition board member Chris Mericle, on a hike with the public to where FERC said construction monitoring was important for the river and our drinking water in the Floridan Aquifer, but Sabal Trail should be left to self-monitor. The day and time have been set: 8:15 AM Thursday February 18, 2016.

All interested individuals will meet at: Continue reading Suwannee County Commissioners and public to hike to Sabal Trail Suwannee River Crossing →

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 →

We will accept Sabal Trail’s answers –FERC issues certificates

February 3, 2016Environment, FERC, Law, LNG, Politics, WaterAlbany, Dougherty County, Duke Energy, environment, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, FSC, Georgia, Hamilton County, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, NextEra Energy, Politics, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Transco, Water, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Property rights, environment, or safety? 14% pipeline company profit is more important! said FERC. But this fight is not over.

Without ever appearing on FERC’s public calendar, and a month in advance of when FERC previously said, FERC yesterday issued certificates for Sabal Trail, the Transco Hillabee Expansion Project, and Florida Southeast Connection. Trial-style evidentiary hearing? Nope, FERC believes Sabal Trail. Consolidation of the three dockets into one? Nope, everybody should have opposed all three, says FERC. Environmental justice? Hey, demographics don’t matter, pipeline siting is all about engineering and “environmental” issues. And profit. Don’t forget profit for the pipeline companies. Solar power? Nevermind, Continue reading We will accept Sabal Trail’s answers –FERC issues certificates →

Forest Service rejects path for Atlantic Coast Pipeline

January 27, 2016North Carolina, Virginia, West VirginiaAGL, Dominion Energy, Georgia Power, John S. Quarterman, North Carolina, Sabal Trail Transmission, Southern Company, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Virginia, West VirginiaJohn S. Quarterman

If I’m not mistaken, this is the same pipeline Spectra Energy pulled out of bidding on back in August 2014, after numerous local resolutions against. Now it’s hit another big snag. And this also affects Southern Company and solar power: in a good way.

Aaron Isherwood and Nicholas Jimenez, Sierra Club, 6 January 2016, Forest Service Rejects Destructive Path for “Atlantic Coast Pipeline”,

A few days ago, the Forest Service rejected a destructive pathway Dominion Energy had proposed for the $5 billion “Atlantic Coast Pipeline” the company wants to build to carry natural gas from fracking in the Marcellus shale field in northern West Virginia to power plants along the coast of Virginia and North Carolina. This is great news for our National Forests, our ground water, and the climate.

Because the pipeline would have cleared a swath through two national forests (the George Washington and Monongahela), Dominion needed sign-off from the Forest Service. After reviewing the route, the Forest Service determined the environmental destruction the pipeline would cause was unacceptable and rejected the proposal in a January 19 letter

Southern Company (NYSE:SO, and parent of Georgia Power) is in the process of buying Continue reading Forest Service rejects path for Atlantic Coast Pipeline →

FPL pushing FERC to rubberstamp Sabal Trail: time to push back

January 25, 2016Alabama, FERC, Florida, Georgia, SolarAlabama, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, SpectraBusters, windJohn S. Quarterman

How about not in February or March for the Sabal Trail FERC permit?

FPL is pushing FERC to rubberstamp Sabal Trail (and FSC and Transco’s Hillabee) by February 1^st. Nevermind FERC said when it issued its FEIS that its target for “considering” a permit was March.

Since FERC hasn’t fixed its process as four Georgia Congressmen demanded, how about FERC stop its process until it is fixed? You may also want to ask your members of Congress to ask FERC to do that.

There are no more FERC Commision meetings in January, and none of the other meetings scheduled for January or February are about Sabal Trail, so apparently FERC did not jump when FPL went frog. However, beware that no agenda is yet posted for the Commission meetings of 18 February 2016 or 17 March 2016. The time to head off a FERC permit is now.

Filed with FERC 11 January 2016 as Accession Number 20160111-5226, “Florida Power & Light Company’s Letter in Support of the Southeast Market Pipelines Project under CP14-554, et. al..”: Continue reading FPL pushing FERC to rubberstamp Sabal Trail: time to push back →

Hike to the Suwannee River with Sierra Club against Sabal Trail – Jan. 16, 2016

January 11, 2016Florida, PR, Suwannee CountyFGT, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Expansion Project, JEP, John S. Quarterman, Maryvonne Devensky, OSFR, Our Santa Fe River, PR, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, Santa Fe River, Sierra Club, SpectraBusters, Suwannee River, Suwannee River State Park, Suwannee-St Johns Group, WWALSJohn S. Quarterman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Live Oak, FL, January 12, 2016 — Stepping up its support for local and larger groups opposing the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline, this Saturday Sierra Club is hosting a meeting culminating in a hike to the Suwannee River to see where Spectra Energy of Houston, Texas proposes to drill under the iconic Suwannee River into Suwannee River State Park. Media are invited to see people from Florida and south Georgia stand up for our rivers and our Floridan Aquifer.

When: Saturday, 16 January 2016 – 11 AM with hike at 1 PM

Where: Suwannee River State Park

3621 201st Path, Live Oak, FL

15 miles west of Live Oak on US 90 Continue reading Hike to the Suwannee River with Sierra Club against Sabal Trail – Jan. 16, 2016 →

Strom LNG Processing & Export In The Public Interest? What About Solar & Other Clean Energy Alternatives?

January 9, 2016Bomb Trains, Bomb Trains, Bomb Trucks, Citrus County, Corruption, DOE, Economy, Environment, FE, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, LNG, Safety, Solar, StromBomb Trains, Bomb Trucks, Economy, environment, export, FE, Florida, LNG, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, solarDebra Johnson

Below you will find an excerpt of Strom, Inc. DOE Application # 15-78-LNG submitted May 2015, section V, describing the public interests of processing LNG, transporting via train and/or truck 90 miles along the pristine west coast of Florida for exporting to other, countries this includes non-FTA countries. Are these people not aware of Solar Energy and other clean energy alternatives which would well serve the countries they propose to export greenhouse emitting, water destructive and air polluting fracked gas to? You know they are. But DOE/FE policy gives LNG facilities the right to negotiate their own trade agreements and determine the environmental effects in the name of promoting competition in the dying, subsidized fossil fuel industry. As for the 100’s of jobs Strom says will be created in this application, if the Florida government and utility monopoly were removed (as it is in all but 4 states), via solar choice, there would be 1000’s of jobs created in the solar industry alone!

It is obvious that this endeavor is “all about the money” for an industry that has seen it’s time and needs to fold or adapt. As well as the invested politicians ‘on the dole’. The fracking industry is operating in debt – in the ‘red’ – and guess who will be left with the losses economically, environmentally and socially.

Strom’s DOE application for their multiple operations are still open for comments via DOE online here:

https://fossil.energy.gov/app/docketindex/docket?11&00-00-ZZ. The last day to comment is Feb 12, 2016.

Below here is Strom’s argument for public need/benefits from their application to DOE.

Strom NTFA.pdf

The LNG export shell game: FERC, FE, MARAD, or NEB?

January 9, 2016British Columbia, Economy, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Law, LNG, MARAD, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Nova Scotia, Oregon, Solar, Suwannee County, Texas, WaterAES, Bahamas, Big Bend, boondoggle, British Columbia, Calypso LNG, Coos Bay, Cove Point LNG, Economy, Elba Island LNG, Ethics, FE, FERC, Florida, FPL, Georgia, greed, Hudson River, Jacksonville Expansion Project, Jaxport, JEP, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, LNG, Manhattan, MARAD, Maryland, Mexico, NE, NextEra Energy, Nova Scotia, Ocean Express, Oregon, Oregon LNG export, Port Dolphin, Port Everglades, profit, Rio Grande, Sabal Trail Transmission, shell game, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Strom, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Texas, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

If you’re a Houston fossil fuel company and you can’t get FERC approval fast enough, try FE, or MARAD! If that doesn’t work, ship it by land through Canada or Mexico! Local property rights, they laugh at those! Rio Grande, Suwannee River, or Hudson River: just minor obstacles to greed! If the people are tired of profit being more important than their land, water, air, or safety, it’s time to stop this fossil fuel shell game.

MARAD

Continue reading →

Where in Suwannee County is the KMI JAX Expansion Project?

January 8, 2016Compressor, Florida, LNG, Safety, Suwannee CountyBradford County, Clay County, Columbia County, compressor, Duval County, Florida, Hildreth, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Live Oak, LNG, O'Brien, population, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, St Johns River, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Union CountyJohn S. Quarterman

Where does this KMI natural gas project start, and where would it connect to Sabal Trail? Back in March 2015, FERC gave Kinder Morgan docket CP15-144 for its Jacksonville Expansion Project, to ship “natural” gas from Suwannee County to Jacksonville, where Jaxport is gearing up for liquid natural gas (LNG) export. KMI’s FERC application explicitly says Sabal Trail can connect if it wants to, and it turns out Sabal Trail’s own Suwannee County map gives us the answer, once we interpret it: Continue reading Where in Suwannee County is the KMI JAX Expansion Project? →