Tag Archives: Safety

Please help us save our Precious lands, wetlands, watersheds –Kristofer Graham to FERC

Filed with FERC 25 November 2013:

Kristofer Graham, Naylor, GA.

Kristofer Graham, I am concerned about the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline going though Lowndes County, Georgia. Because I fear it danger to our land environment and the people family’s that live near that natural gas pipeline route. Then I noticed the natural gas pipeline is going though many of our wetlands and our watersheds. Well that really concern me because they can destroy our natural resource, which that mean our Eco system is destroy like Continue reading Please help us save our Precious lands, wetlands, watersheds –Kristofer Graham to FERC

It endangers wildlife and the safety of my children –Brian Peters to FERC

Filed with FERC 25 November 2013:

Brian Peters, Lake Park, GA.

I am in protest of this pipeline because it endangers wildlife and the safety of my children if brought into Lowndes County. We formally protest this harassment of property owners rights!

How to comment with FERC.

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We already have 2 pipelines –Don Brotherton to FERC

Filed with FERC 25 November 2013:

Don Brotherton, Valdosta, GA.

I am totally against this proposed project tentatively coming across our property. We already have 2 pipelines and a 3rd would totally devastate our property value not to mention the safety issues and concerns. Sabal should chose a less populated alternative route.

Continue reading We already have 2 pipelines –Don Brotherton to FERC

Follow a route that utilizes public right of ways –Keren Wynn to FERC

Filed with FERC 24 November 2013:

Keren Wynn, Valdosta, GA.

I understand the need for this pipeline, but I am very concerned about the associated safety risks and the negative impact it will have on private property owners in Lowndes and Brooks Counties. Our daughter’s best friend and her family are directly affected with the proposed pipeline being located just a few feet from their home. I have concerns for the safety of this family and for my daughter based on reports of numerous explosions of these types of pipelines in other areas. This pipeline will run through a rural area that is only served by volunteer fire departments that are not capable of handling this type of potential disaster. The focus for Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC is on profits and not for the safety or well being of residents of this area. The proposed route should not directly affect private land owners. This project should be required to follow a route that utilizes public right of ways. Thank you for your assistance.

How to comment with FERC.

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Respect the rights of citizens and landowners –Danielle Jordan to FERC

Filed with FERC 24 November 2013:

Danielle Jordan, Valdosta, GA.

The proposal to build a natural gas pipeline by Sabal Trail/Spectra Energy is unnecessary and, undoubtedly, not in the best interest of the citizens living along its path. Not only will the construction of this pipeline create safety issues and devalue the property of affected landowners, it also serves as an extension of the fracking industry responsible for contaminated groundwater in drilling areas. The externalized costs of the natural gas industry are far too detrimental to public health for this to be considered when the potential for solar power in our region remains largely untapped.

Furthermore, natural gas has been marketed as Continue reading Respect the rights of citizens and landowners –Danielle Jordan to FERC

Talk to FERC at Clyattville Elementary Monday 2013-12-16

PDF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Valdosta, December 13, 2013 –Landowners and others can talk directly to the federal oversight agency that has to approve any new pipelines will be at an Open House they required Sabal Trail Transmission to hold Clyattville Elementary Monday evening. For those who are unable to stand and circulate the room an area will be provided and representatives from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) have been assigned just for this area. Protesters against the pipeline will be out front starting at 4PM.

When:  5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Monday, December 16 th 2013

Where: Clyattville Elementary School
5386 Madison Highway
Valdosta, GA 31601
Phone: (229) 559-7062

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) for no benefit to local citizens. A one-time payment is nowhere near adequate for permanent destruction and hazards when FPL and Spectra would profit forever.

Property values: Continue reading Talk to FERC at Clyattville Elementary Monday 2013-12-16

Update on the Sabal Trail gas pipeline and how to stop it: SpectraBusters Information Meeting #3

PDF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Valdosta, December 9, 2013—What’s been done and what can be done to stop a

natural gas pipeline proposed to gash through here for the profit of companies far away. It’s not just a federal issue: there are things every state and local government and citizen can do to prevent this safety and property value hazard.

When:  7 PM to 9 PM
Thursday, December 12
th 2013

Where: Lowndes County Offices
Multi-Purpose Room
327 N. Ashley Street, 2
nd floor
Valdosta, GA 31601
Phone: (229) 671-2442

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) for no benefit to local citizens. A one-time payment is nowhere near adequate for permanent destruction and hazards when FPL and Spectra would profit forever.

Agenda: Continue reading Update on the Sabal Trail gas pipeline and how to stop it: SpectraBusters Information Meeting #3

FERC Commissioner pushes LNG exports to House Subcommitee

Commissioner Tony Clark’s LNG export comments are the pullquote in the U.S. House Committee’s own writeup. His testimony says a surplus of fracked gas in the U.S. is driving both LNG exports and new pipelines. Not customer demand in Florida: producer demand for new markets. Do we want a pipeline through our lands to profit fat cats in Houston?

Given Clark’s background as a public service commissioner in fracking North Dakota, he seems likely to be a fracking, LNG export, and gas pipeline advocate. New FERC Acting Chair Cheryl A. LaFleur’s testimony set the stage for Clark’s remarks:

Increased availability of domestic natural gas and its growing use in power generation also has implications for natural gas infrastructure, which Commissioner Clark will touch on in his testimony.

FERC Commissioner Phillip D. Moeller’s testimony included this Orwellian remark:
Over the last 22 months, the Commission has undertaken significant efforts to address the growing convergence of the natural gas and electric industries through seven technical conferences and regular updates. In November the Commission issued its final rule relating to communications regarding sensitive system information in an effort to open communication channels between interstate natural gas pipelines and operators of wholesale electric markets.

So we should pave the way for natural gas plowing through our property by making communications about it federally sensitive?

Written Testimony of Commissioner Tony Clark
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Before the Committee on Energy and Commerce
Subcommittee on Energy and Power
United States House of Representatives
Hearing on
Evaluating the Role of FERC in a Changing Energy Landscape
December 5, 2013

The large amount of natural gas in the U.S. is also creating an impetus for something that was nearly unimaginable ten or fifteen year ago, LNG export, as opposed to import terminals. This is an area of significant workload increase for the Commission.

Presently, the FERC has thirteen proposed LNG export terminals and three LNG import terminals in some phase of the permitting process. As you would expect, the reviews that entail safely siting large multi-billion dollar energy projects such as these are extensive.

Note he doesn’t say anything about deciding whether to site LNG export terminals, just doing it “safely”. So this FERC Commissioner seems in favor of what another House subcommittee is also pushing: LNG exports.

But what about pipelines? Those are also driven by fossil fuel company fracked shale gas gluts, not by customer demand:

As you might expect, the shale revolution in both liquids and natural gas production is having a tremendous impact on the work of the FERC. We see this Continue reading FERC Commissioner pushes LNG exports to House Subcommitee

Too close –henry g. jowers to FERC

Filed with FERC 25 November 2013:

henry g. jowers, valdosta ga., GA.

I am very opposed to the proposed 36 in. gas line being placed on my land.It will be too close to my;; work shop and home. I FEAR for my family’s safety.I think this gas line will destory; the value of my home and land.

Henry g. Jowers

How to comment with FERC.

Georgia pipeline safety record worse than in Florida

Should we add to Georgia’s string of serious pipeline accidents (worse than Florida’s) by letting a pipeline company with fines for corrosion and leaks from PHMSA and a record fine for PCB spills from EPA gash an even bigger pipeline through our farms and past our towns, churches, and schools?

The data on Florida pipeline accidents in Ichetucknee Alliance’s position paper against the pipeline (the position that got Spectra’s Andrea Grover to say the “preferred” route had moved and “currently” there was no threat to the Ichetucknee River or Columbia County, Florida); that pipeline accident data came from Pipeline Safety Tracker, which finds an even worse pipeline safety record for Georgia: 89 incidents, 7 fatalities, 36 injuries, and $56.3 million in property damage.

Among those Georgia incidents was one near Albany, Georgia, 29 May 2004, caused by “Environmental Cracking Related” which caused $209,447 in property damage. That could be a concern about a proposed pipeline put in by a company whose employees told federal inspectors it never conducted key test for corrosion.

Even worse was this one, Continue reading Georgia pipeline safety record worse than in Florida