Tag Archives: SpectraBusters

The Empire Strikes Back: Spectra sues FL,GA,AL landowners

March 23, 2016Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Law, Osceola CountyAIM, Alabama, Algonquin, BK Ranches, Brenda Dykgraaf, California, Duke Energy, eminent domain, Florida, Four Corners, FPL, Georgia, Gerald McGratty, Greenpointe Communities, I-4, Intercession City, John S. Quarterman, Law, lawsuit, Osceola County, Porter Ranch, Reunion, Reunion Resort Golf Course, Sabal Trail Transmission, Southern California Gas Co., Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Walt Disney WorldJohn S. Quarterman

Reciting from the standard pipeline playbook, Spectra has started suing landowners. This while doughty rebels defeated 34 aye to 128 nay easements to drill under Georgia rivers, which could put a crimp in the Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail fracked methane boondoggle. Can we the people beat the Mickey Mouse fossil fuel empire?

Paul Brinkmann, Orlando Sentinel, 22 March 2016, Sabal Pipeline project files 160 eminent domain lawsuits,

The pipeline company insists that it already has federal and court authority to seize the property under the Natural Gas Act. Sabal claims its project must be under construction by June 21 and in service, by May 1, 2017.

Sabal Trail pipeline

According to maps provided by the utilities, the Sabal pipeline would come through the Four Corners area of northwestern Osceola County, dip south of Walt Disney World property, cross Interstate 4 near Celebration and connect with a hub of pipelines just west of Reunion Resort Golf Course.

The Greenpointe property is one of the biggest Continue reading The Empire Strikes Back: Spectra sues FL,GA,AL landowners →

Please call your GA state rep. today to keep Sabal Trail out

March 22, 2016Georgia, Law, Solaraquifer, Chattahoochee River, conservation, FERC, Flint River, Floridan Aquifer, Georgia, House of Representatives, John S. Quarterman, Law, Okapilco Creek, pipeline, river, Sabal Trail, Santa Fe River, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, SR 954, Suwannee River, watershed, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

They’re voting today. Here’s who to call to ask to vote No on SR 954. And below is why. If you don’t live in Georgia, you probably know somebody who does: please ask them to call their GA state rep.

John S. Quarterman, Valdosta Daily Times, today, 22 March 2016, Still possible to keep Sabal Trail out,

After two years going to Sabal Trail open houses and FERC scoping meetings, filing e-comments, guiding them to the river crossings and a legal hearing in Jasper, FERC still tells us customers for Spectra Energy from Houston, Texas, constitute a need that outweighs local property rights, environmental destruction, and hazards to our Withlacoochee and Suwannee rivers and the Floridan Aquifer, and to taxes, life, and limb.

Yet Georgia is the fastest-growing U.S. solar market, while solar Continue reading Please call your GA state rep. today to keep Sabal Trail out →

Six rehearing requests to FERC, including from Sabal Trail and Transco

March 19, 2016Alabama, Compressor, Economy, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Law, Solar, WaterAir, Alabama, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League Inc, BREDL, compressor, Economy, environment, FERC, Florida, G.B.A. ASSOCIATES LLC, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Jonathan P. Waters Attorney at Law, Law, solar, SpectraBusters, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company LLC, Water, windJohn S. Quarterman

The pipeline companies want rehearings, apparently because they don’t like the restrictions the FERC order put on them, so maybe we’ll actually see a rehearing. The other four rehearing requests all don’t like what FERC certified Sabal Trail to do, and some have new reasons beyond what was in the FEIS or the docket beforehand. Poor FERC! Nobody likes your Order! How about stop permitting new fossil fuel projects and promote renewable sun and wind power instead?

The six requests for rehearings, including one by Transco and one by Sabal Trail, all conveniently grouped by FERC in a subdocket at the end of the results if you search for CP15-17 in FERC’s Docket Search: Continue reading Six rehearing requests to FERC, including from Sabal Trail and Transco →

Keep calling to strip Sabal Trail easements from SR 954 in the GA House

March 17, 2016Georgia, Solaraquifer, Chattahoochee River, conservation, FERC, Flint River, Floridan Aquifer, Georgia, House of Representatives, John S. Quarterman, Okapilco Creek, pipeline, river, Sabal Trail, Santa Fe River, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, SR 954, Suwannee River, watershed, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Sabal Trail’s allies have failed three times to pass this bill! Please keep calling your state legislators so they will stay strong voting against SR 954 until Sabal Trail and Transco easements are taken out of it. The next vote is scheuduled for Tuesday, March 22nd, so please call them through the weekend.

If you don’t live in Georgia, you probably know somebody who does, so you can ask them to call their Georgia state rep. to stop easements for Sabal Trail to drill under the Chattahoochee, Flint, Ochlockonee, and Withlacoochee Rivers, and Okapilco and Hannahatchee Creeks. Stop it in Georgia, and that will stop it in Florida and Alabama!

Follow this link for all the Georgia statehouse members in the pipeline path. Or type in Continue reading Keep calling to strip Sabal Trail easements from SR 954 in the GA House →

Dougherty County upset over eminent domain threat from Sabal Trail

March 15, 2016Compressor, Economy, Georgia, Law, Watercompressor, Doughert County, Economy, eminent domain, final offer, Georgia, Harry James, John S. Quarterman, Law, Percosin Canal, Percosin Lane, Sabal Trail, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Dougherty County actually read what Sabal Trail is offering and is horrified.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 14 March 2016, Dougherty County officials upset over Sabal Trail ‘threat’: Pipeline builder makes ‘final offer’ for land before it says it will resort to eminent domain,

Dougherty County commissioners weren’t exactly pleased Continue reading Dougherty County upset over eminent domain threat from Sabal Trail →

Albany, GA caves to Sabal Trail 4-3

March 15, 2016Compressor, Dougherty County, Economy, Georgia, Law, WaterAlbany, compressor, Dougherty County, easement, Economy, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lily Pond Road, Roger Marietta, SpectraBusters, Terrell County, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

One vote could have stopped this. One vote could vote out one or more of the four who voted for. Thanks to Roger Marietta for fighting on.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 15 March 2016, Albany city commissioners agree to Sabal Trail easement payment: Pipeline company to pay city $165,000 settlement for five easements,

The Albany City Commission voted 4-3 at a called meeting Tuesday morning to accept a $165,000 payment from Sabal Trail Transmissions for five easements on city-owned property.

Ward IV City Commissioner Roger Marietta suggested Continue reading Albany, GA caves to Sabal Trail 4-3 →

Sabal Trail on agenda, Hamilton Co., FL, 6PM tomorrow, 2016-03-15

March 14, 2016Florida, Hamilton County, Wateraquifer, Florida, Hamilton County, John S. Quarterman, karst, limestone, Sabal Trail Transmission, sinkholes, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, springs, Suwannee River, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Sabal Trail is back on the agenda for the Hamilton County, Florida Commissioners tomorrow evening. Please go if you’re in the area.

When: 6PM Tuesday
March 15th 2016

Where: Room 112, Courthouse,
207 Northeast First St.
Jasper, Florida

Here’s the agenda.

-jsq

Strip Sabal Trail easements from SR 954 in the Georgia House of Representatives

March 11, 2016Georgia, Solaraquifer, conservation, FERC, Floridan Aquifer, Georgia, House of Representatives, John S. Quarterman, north Florida, Okapilco Creek, pipeline, river, Sabal Trail, Santa Fe River, solar, south Georgia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, SR 954, Suwannee River, watershed, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

You can help stop ~~eminent domain~~ easements for Sabal Trail from passing the Georgia statehouse! (PDF handout)

Follow this link for all the Georgia statehouse members in the pipeline path. Or type in your ZIP code here to find your Georgia House member: http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

If you don’t live in Georgia, you probably know somebody who does, so you can ask them to call their state rep.

There’s a longer writeup here.

Shoestring Energy Justice Network and Dimock families defeat mighty Cabot Oil & Gas in $4.2 million anti-fracking lawsuit win

March 11, 2016Economy, Ethics, Fracking, Hazards, Health, Law, Pennsylvania, SafetyAlex Lotorto, Allison Petryk, Cabot Oil & Gas, Dimock, Economy, Energy Justice Network, Ethics, Fracking, Hazards, Health, John S. Quarterman, Law, Pennsylvania, Safety, SpectraBusters, Susquehanna CountyJohn S. Quarterman

Here’s why Sabal Trail and all the other fossil fuel profiteers avoid jury trials at all costs: when twelve peers of the afflicted decide, the frackers lose. But money isn’t enough. That land and water is permanently poisoned. There’s only one real solution: end fracking, to end all its new pipelines, compressor stations, bomb trains, and LNG export.

Sharon Kelly, Desmog Blog, 10 March 2016, BREAKING: $4.2 Million Jury Verdict Against Cabot Oil & Gas in Dimock, PA Water Contamination Lawsuit,

A Pennsylvania jury handed down a $4.2 million verdict in a lawsuit centering on water contamination from negligent shale gas drilling in Dimock, PA, a tiny town that made international headlines for its flammable and toxic drinking water.

The defendant in the lawsuit, Cabot Oil and Gas Corp., had strenuously denied Continue reading Shoestring Energy Justice Network and Dimock families defeat mighty Cabot Oil & Gas in $4.2 million anti-fracking lawsuit win →

Strom Crystal River LNG export approval 2014-10-21

March 6, 2016Citrus County, FE, FERC, Florida, Fracking, LNG, StromCitrus County, Crystal River, Department of Energy, DoE, Duke Energy, FE, FERC, FGT, Florida, Florida Gas Transmission, Fracking, Free Trade, Gulf of Mexico, in-service date, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Office of Fossil Energy, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, StromJohn S. Quarterman

Strom can ramp up its LNG export to the Gulf from Crystal River an order of magnitude with its initial units, and then add more units, all without any further approval by anybody, says this Order from the U.S. DoE Office of Fossil Energy, which also appears to permit bomb trains shipping LNG anywhere in Florida, or maybe even other states, with some of the fracked methane probably coming from Sabal Trail if built. This FE Order was issued 21 October 2014, one month to the day before Sabal Trail filed in the FERC formal process in 21 November 2014. Yet not a word was said about Strom or any other LNG export by FERC or Sabal Trail in any of the FERC Scoping Meetings I went to, as I pointed out at the one 1 October 2015 in Lake City, Florida.

FE is even more a rubberstamp regulatory-captured lapdog of the fossil fuel industry than is FERC, and Strom is setting up to require no further approvals by them or anybody else: Continue reading Strom Crystal River LNG export approval 2014-10-21 →