Tag Archives: Safety

Resolution: Sabal Trail Natural Gas Pipeline –Colquitt County Board of Commissioners

March 13, 2014Agriculture, Colquitt County, Georgia, Law, SafetyAgriculture, Colquitt County, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

This is the text of the resolution passed by the Colquitt County Board of Commissioners, and here it is in PDF. -jsq

Resolution Number 2014-R-6.

RESOLUTION
COLQUITT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SABAL TRAIL NATURAL GAS PIPELINE

WHEREAS, Sabal Trail Natural Gas Pipeline proposes to construct a natural gas transmission pipeline that will bisect a large portion of Colquitt County, Georgia; and,

WHEREAS, Colquitt County, Georgia is the largest agricultural production county in the State of Georgia with numerous farms and agricultural infrastructure throughout the county and in the proposed path of the Sabal Trail Natural Gas Pipeline; and,

WHEREAS, there remains many concerns among area agricultural growers regarding the depth of the pipeline in agricultural areas.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Continue reading Resolution: Sabal Trail Natural Gas Pipeline –Colquitt County Board of Commissioners →

Corporate power comes home –Jim Parker

March 13, 2014Economy, Georgia, Law, Lowndes County, SafetyBill Slaughter, citizens, corporation, Economy, Georgia, Government, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lowndes County, Michael G. Noll, property rights, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

Letter to the Editor in the Valdosta Daily Times yesterday. -jsq

How is it that one foreign corporation, that has just come into existence to do this project, can have greater power than all of the thousands of citizens affected, and their elected governments?
No, I’m not talking about the Keystone XL pipeline, but he issues are the same. This one wants to run a 36-inch gas pipeline through a number of states and counties, including Lowndes, affecting thousands of landowners. It’s known as Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC, and is the unholy offspring of Spectra Energy Corp. and NextEra Energy.
How can one foreign corporation (they’re from out of state), have so much power vis-avis the thousands of landowners and citizens of Lowndes County, that the citizens must give up Continue reading Corporate power comes home –Jim Parker →

No Fracked Gas in Mass. allies with SpectraBusters

March 11, 2014Agriculture, Economy, Environment, Explosion, Fracking, Leak, Massachusetts, Safety, Solar, Trees, WaterAgriculture, Economy, environment, explosion, Fracking, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, leak, Massachusetts, No Fracked Gas in Mass, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, solar, SpectraBusters, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, TGP, Trees, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Another new ally added to the Allies page; today it’s No Fracked Gas in Mass., who bring us excellent tips on getting a resolution your local elected government’s agenda.

“Fighting Kinder Morgan/TGP’s Northeast Expansion across the Berkshires and Northern Massachusetts. Our mission is to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to create a comprehensive renewable energy infrastructure.”

They have an excellent post about getting resolutions on your town meeting agenda:

If you are thinking about bringing a non-binding resolution before your town meeting, time is running out. Each town has its own deadline for adding items to town meeting’s agenda and its own requirements for resolutions — in Cummington, we needed to gather just fifteen signatures and submit them to our town clerk for verification. Ask your select board members or your town clerk what the deadline is, and what the requirements are, for your town.

You can download the Cummington resolution to use as a model (here is a .txt version); if you are wondering what the point of a non-binding resolution is, please read this.

In Massachusetts select board members are what many other places call city council members. And many towns in Mass. make it easy for citizens to get resolutions on their agendas. Why should it be more difficult anywhere else? You can contact your Continue reading No Fracked Gas in Mass. allies with SpectraBusters →

Take the Pipeline Bull by the Horns: Georgia FERC Scoping Meetings

March 2, 2014Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Economy, Environment, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, Law, Lowndes County, MeetingsAlbany, Colquitt County, corrosion, Dougherty County, Economy, environment, explosion, FERC, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, Law, leak, Lowndes County, Moultrie, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, ValdostaJohn S. Quarterman

PDF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Valdosta, 2 March 2014 — SpectraBusters invites everyone to take the pipeline bull by the horns this week in Albany, Valdosta, or Moultrie, at your only chances in Georgia to testify in front of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission about Spectra Energy’s proposed Sabal Trail Transmission fracked methane pipeline. Plus SpectraBusters will hold a panel on the issues afterwards.

FERC Scoping Meetings:
This week’s calendar:
SpectraBusters Panel:
In Conjunction with:

FERC Scoping Meetings:

We hear these FERC Scoping meetings will all have the same format:

5PM Sabal Trail discussion	pipeline representatives will be present.
6PM FERC presentation	about the process.
Then citizens can speak	at the podium one by one and have what they say transcribed by a court recorder for the Commission’s administrative record.

This week’s calendar: Continue reading Take the Pipeline Bull by the Horns: Georgia FERC Scoping Meetings →

Property rights and water: please deny the Sabal Trail methane pipeline –Tim Carroll, Valdosta City Council, 5th District

March 2, 2014Corrosion, Environment, Explosion, FERC, Georgia, Hazards, Health, Law, Leak, Safety, Watercorrosion, eminent domain, explosion, FERC, Floridan Aquifer, Georgia, Hazards, Health, Law, leak, property rights, public good, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, sinkhole, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tim Carroll, Valdosta City Council, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Filed with FERC 3 March 2014; PDF -jsq

Tim Carroll, Valdosta, GA.

To: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

I am writing to you on behalf of citizens that live in my city council district. Specifically those that will be negatively impacted by the Sabal Trail methane gas pipeline. Please accept the following reasons why I oppose this project coming through our community.

Eminent Domain laws refer to the greater good of the citizens of the community and/or state where this law is being used. Continue reading Property rights and water: please deny the Sabal Trail methane pipeline –Tim Carroll, Valdosta City Council, 5th District →

Pipeline Reader: Who, what, when, where, how, and why not the Sabal Trail methane pipeline

March 2, 2014Alabama, Corrosion, Economy, Environment, Explosion, FERC, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Hazards, Health, Law, Leak, Noise, Safety, Solar, Water, West Virginiacorrosion, Danielle Jordan, Economy, environment, explosion, FERC, Fracking, Hazards, Health, History, Law, leak, methane, natural gas, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Water, West VirginiaJohn S. Quarterman

Here’s PDF of a reader for county commissions and others who need to get up to speed on the pipeline. Feel free to add local material for your county commission or city council.

This pipeline reader contains:

About the Pipeline
Sabal Trail Pipeline Context maps —Spectra Energy and FPL — Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange www.l-a-k-e.org
Natural Gas Pipelines — www.foodandwaterwatch.org
Spectra Safety Violations — www.spectrabusters.org
Facts on Fracking — Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy (WACE) www.wiregrassace.org/
Local Governments Can Restrict Pipelines — www.spectrabusters.org
WV Polluter Files Bankruptcy — www.spectrabusters.org
Stranded Fossil Fuel Assets — www.spectrabusters.org
Solar Jobs — Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange www.l-a-k-e.org
How to File a Comment with FERC

Continue reading →

No fracking insurance: how long until no pipeline insurance?

February 26, 2014Economy, Fracking, Safetycrater, Economy, explosion, Fracking, insurance, John S. Quarterman, Nationwide, pipeline, risk management, Safety, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

What if negative publicity around pipelines gets as big as around fracking? Given the many recent high-profile pipeline accidents, that may already be happening. What happens to pipeline companies’ own insurance then? What happens to your homeowner or farm insurance?

CBS News 13 July 2012, Insurer Won’t Cover Gas Drill Fracking Exposure,

The memo reads: “After months of research and discussion, we have determined that the exposures presented by hydraulic fracturing are too great to ignore. Risks involved with hydraulic fracturing are now prohibited for General Liability, Commercial Auto, Motor Truck Cargo, Auto Physical Damage and Public Auto (insurance) coverage.”

It said “prohibited risks” apply to landowners who lease land for shale gas drilling and contractors involved in fracking operations, including those who haul water to and from drill sites; pipe and lumber haulers; and operators of bulldozers, dump trucks and other vehicles used in drill site preparation.

And it’s not just actual claims: Continue reading No fracking insurance: how long until no pipeline insurance? →

EPA and Spectra knew about PCBs as early as 1985

February 22, 2014Environment, Hazards, Law, SafetyDuke Energy, environment, Gulfstream Pipeline, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, PanEnergy, Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, PCB, peril, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TETCO, Texas Eastern Transmission Corp, warningJohn S. Quarterman

That was four years before the record 1989 $15 million fine against Spectra (then Texas Eastern Transmission Corp.). What other safety problems does Spectra know that it’s not telling?

Philip Shabecoff wrote for the New York Times 17 March 1987, DATA SHOW E.P.A. DELAYED WARNING ABOUT PCB PERIL

The Environmental Protection Agency knew about PCB contamination at specific sites along the Texas Eastern pipeline as early as the autumn of 1985 but took no immediate action to protect public health at the sites, according to internal agency documents.

Agency officials had said that they were unable to act more quickly to deal with the contamination because they had insufficient information from the company.

In case you’re having trouble following all the name changes, Continue reading EPA and Spectra knew about PCBs as early as 1985 →

Real questions at Gilchrist County Commission

February 21, 2014Economy, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hazards, Law, SafetyAndrea Grover, Brian Fahrenthold, Economy, evasion, Florida, Gilchrist County, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, transparencyJohn S. Quarterman

Two hours of first questions from a citizens committee with Spectra’s reps expected to answer right there in front of everybody, then questions from locals and people from many counties around, including attorneys representing landowners and other county commissions cross-examining Spectra on the spot. The Chairman of the Gilchrist County Commission said there was a general opinion among the populace that they were asking specific questions and getting only general answers. Congratulations, Chairman, Commission, staff, Committee, and everyone who asked questions for showing the world how it’s done, and for exposing Spectra’s evasions to public scrutiny.

Brian Fahrenthold (Spectra), Pete Butts (Citizen Committee), Bobby Crosby (County Administrator), Stephanie Denardo (WUFT), David M. Lang Jr. (County Attorney), Gilchrist County Commission, County Clerk, and more Spectra reps in foreground

You’ll see for yourself in the videos of the whole thing. Almost all: so much both camera batteries ran down, and it took a bit to find a plug.

One of the citizen committee questions was about Spectra’s safety record. Brian Fahrenthold assured the commission that Continue reading Real questions at Gilchrist County Commission →

Spectra’s Durham Woods apartment fire, Edison, NJ, 1994

February 21, 2014Economy, Explosion, Hazards, Health, Middlesex County, New Jersey, SafetyDurahm Woods, Economy, Edison, explosion, fire, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Middlesex County, National Transportation Safety Board, New Jersey, NTSB, property damage, Safety, SpectraBusters, TETCO, Texas Eastern Transmission CorporationJohn S. Quarterman

Children running naked into the flaming night of a Spectra pipeline fireball, thousands evacuated, hundreds made homeless, some burnt or “felled by smoke”, one woman literally scared to death, all caused by corrosion in a dent Spectra knew about years before, and NTSB says it’s up to local governments to make pipeline companies prevent it happening again.

Robert D. McFadden wrote for NYTimes 25 March 1994, EXPLOSION IN EDISON: The Overview; New Jersey Pipeline Explosion Sets Off Panic, Chaos and Fear,

A natural gas pipeline explosion that awestruck witnesses compared to a blinding, scorching nuclear blast turned a neighborhood in the central New Jersey town of Edison early yesterday into a war zone of flames, panic and chaos.

Local resident jseaton uploaded to YouTube 15 May 2006, Edison Natural Gas Explosion – Durham Woods: “This is my video footage of the gas pipeline explosion in Edison NJ (March 1994). This was taken while trying to evacuate the Durham Woods apartment complex”

Back to the NYTimes story:

Scores of residents were hurt, one death was reported and Continue reading Spectra’s Durham Woods apartment fire, Edison, NJ, 1994 →