Tag Archives: Transco

Disappointing Alabama FERC Scoping Meetings –Bob Hastings

Alabama, Choctaw County, FERC, Russell County, Tallapoosa County, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bob Hastings of the Alabama Sierra Club reports from the Alabama FERC Scoping Meetings. -jsq

I attended both the Alexander City and Butler hearings, and was disappointed in both. There was apparently a lot of apathy and/or intimidation among people affected.

There were about 50-75 people at Alex City but only about 7 people spoke. I read the Alabama-Georgia-Florida Sierra Club statement, and got a few compliments after the meeting.

At Butler, there were only 7 people present (plus about 15 “company” employees who answered questions, but there were not many questions). Because of the small group, we sat in a circle with the FERC reps and listened to their statements and asked a few questions. No landowners made statements and I agreed to submit mine online. It was a long drive for not much information.

I was also told that about 25 people attended the Seale hearing but no one submitted comments (according to Bill Braun, a “first zero” for FERC hearings).

Bill Braun was the FERC representative (a contract environmental consultant) from Minnesota who described the projects at all three hearings in Alabama, along with Kara Harris.

FERC should be promoting solar and wind, not new pipelines –Alabama Sierra Club

Alabama, Economy, Environment, Explosion, FERC, Florida, Fracking, Law, Safety, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Filed with FERC 14 March 2104 by Bob Hastings for Alabama Sierra Club about PF14-6. -jsq

Comments on the proposed Transco Pipeline Hillabee Expansion Project:

The Sierra Club is a national environmental organization promoting the protection of our natural environment and quality of life for all citizens. The Club has more than 1.5 million members and includes chapters in all states. The Alabama Chapter has approximately 3000 members.

The Alabama Chapter of the Sierra Club has joined with the Georgia and Florida Sierra Club Chapters to oppose the proposed 650 mile Sabal Trail Pipeline that would carry natural gas extracted through hydraulic fracturing from Pennsylvania and Texas through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Since the purpose of the Hillabee Expansion project is to supply gas to the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline, we also oppose the Hillabee Expansion project, and consider it undesirable and not needed.

Williams Partners, Inc., owners of the Transco pipeline, has a poor record of pipeline safety, and has had at least 35 reportable accidents since 2006, including the pipeline rupture and explosion on December 3, 2011, near Linden in Marengo County, Alabama. Fortunately this explosion, which devastated 65 acres of forest land, did not occur in a populated area where loss of life could have been tragic. Williams Partners should focus on upgrading the existing pipeline for improved safety rather than expanding its capacity.

The existing Transco pipeline cuts through Continue reading FERC should be promoting solar and wind, not new pipelines –Alabama Sierra Club →

Tackle the Pipeline at the Root: Alabama FERC Scoping Meetings

Alabama, Choctaw County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Lowndes County, Meetings, Mississippi, Russell County, Tallapoosa County, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

PDF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Valdosta, 8 March 2014 — SpectraBusters invites everyone to tackle the pipeline at its root this coming week in Seale, Alexander City, or Butler, at your only chances in Alabama to testify in front of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission about the fracked methane pipelines proposed by Williams Transco, Spectra Energy, and FPL. Plus later a SpectraBusters panel on the issues.

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

FERC Scoping Meetings:

5PM Sabal Trail discussion
Pipeline representatives will be present.
6PM FERC presentation

about the process
and the pipelines


Docket number PF14-6: Hillabee Expansion Project
Docket number PF14-1: Sabal Trail Transmission
Docket number PF14-2: Florida Southeast Connection
Then citizens can speak

at the podium


Have what you say transcribed by a court recorder
for the Commission’s administrative record.

This week’s calendar:

Monday, March 10, 2014
Russell County
PF14-1 Sabal Trail
West Georgians can cross
the Chattahoochee River 		Russell County High School
4716 Old Seale Highway
Seale, AL 36875
(334) 855-4378
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Tallapoosa County
Where PF14-6 and PF14-1 connect
plus a compressor station 		Central Alabama Community College
Betty Carol Graham Technology Center
1675 Cherokee Road
Alexander City, AL 35010
(256) 234-6346
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Choctaw County
PF14-6 Hillabee Expansion Project
begins at Transco Station 85
plus a compressor station 		Butler Civic Center
108 North Academy Avenue
Butler, AL 36904
(205) 459-3795
next to Mississippi

Or e-mail to efiling@ferc.gov or file online with FERC:
https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx
Or call 202-502-8258, or mail written comments to:

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary;
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission;
888 First St. N.E. Room 1A;
Washington, D.C. 20426.

Use Docket number PF14-1 for Sabal Trail Transmission,
or PF14-6 for Hillabee Expansion Project.

See calendar for Georgia last week and Florida the following two weeks:
http://spectrabusters.org/calendar/

SpectraBusters Panel:

There’s more to be done so there’s another meeting later…

3PM Saturday 29 March 2014
Lowndes County, GA		SpectraBusters Panel
Pipeline? No!

Elected officials and candidates for public office are invited to a SpectraBusters panel discussion in Lowndes County, Georgia. Topics will include potential pipeline routes, property rights (eminent domain, property values), water issues (aquifer, sinkholes, springs), whether Florida even needs more power, better power sources (solar, wind, conservation, and efficiency), noise, health, and hazards. SpectraBusters and allies from all states are invited, and are encouraged to hold panels elsewhere.
Sabal Trail, Spectra, FPL, Williams, and Duke: we don’t come to your internal company meetings, and you’ll hear from us at the Scoping Meetings.

Why: Spectra Energy, which had compressor station leaks in Maine in January and in Pennsylvania last year, plus multiple fines by Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for corrosion and leaks, and a record $15 million EPA fine for PCB contamination, 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) and Duke Energy for no benefit to local citizens and rate hikes for FPL customers. A one-time payment is not enough for decreased property values, permanent destruction, and hazards of leaks and explosions, when FPL and Spectra and Duke would profit forever. The gas comes from fracking in Pennsylvania and Texas, destroying watersheds, farmlands, and drinking water. Conservation, efficiency, and solar power are cheaper and bring jobs and energy here where we need them.

In Conjunction with:

Environmental Awareness Organization of Auburn University (EAOAU).
https://auburn.collegiatelink.net/organization/eao

Greenlaw protects clean air and water.
http://greenlaw.org/

New York Climate Action Group (NYCAG) the Spectra struggle (and Williams Transco Rockaway Lateral Pipeline in the Rockaways of Queens, NY and the LNG port resistance in Long Beach, NY).

Occupy the Pipeline, who fought the NYC extension on the Spectra Pipeline.
http://occupythepipeline.blogspot.com

Our Santa Fe River, protecting our most vital and vulnerable natural resource…water.
http://www.oursantaferiver.org/wp/

Sane Energy Project: to fight fossil fuel and nuclear infrastructure, and encourage renewable infrastructure.
http://www.SaneEnergyProject.org

Shale Property Rights, formerly Spectra Energy Watch.
http://www.shalepropertyrights.com/blog/

Sierra Club, America’s largest and oldest grassroots environmental group, exploring, enjoying, and protecting the environment since 1892.
http://www.sierraclub.org

Stop the Pipeline: No eminent domain, preserve local character and environment, and pipelines == fracking.
http://www.StopThePipeline.org

Students Against Violating the Environment (S.A.V.E.) Valdosta State U.
http://ww2.valdosta.edu/vsu/stuorg/save/

Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy (WACE): clean and sustainable energy sources.
http://www.wiregrass-ace.org/

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Willacoochee, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Little River Systems in south Georgia and north Florida.
http://www.wwals.net/

SpectraBusters: We ain’t afraid a no pipeline!
Landowners and others opposed to the Sabal Trail gas pipeline through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

Contact:
spectrabusters@gmail.com
http://spectrabusters.org
www.facebook.com/spectrabusters

Garrett Kizer
Lee County, AL
850-420-3854

Danielle Jordan
Lowndes Co., GA
229-300-7422

Beth Gordon
Levy Co., FL
352-528-0111

###

See also these presentation materials.

And see also these previous meetings:

FERC Notice of Intent for Environmental Impact Statement and Scoping Meetings

Alabama, Environment, FERC, Florida, Georgia, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Includes a list of Scoping Meetings in March 2014 (see SpectraBusters calendar), for all three pipelines: Transco Hillabee Expansion, Sabal Trail Transmission, and Florida Southeast Connection. On FERC’s website including PDF and Word used to produce the HTML below. -jsq

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC Docket Nos. PF14-1-000

Florida Southeast Connection, LLC PF14-2-000

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC PF14-6-000

NOTICE OF INTENT TO PREPARE AN

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE PLANNED

SOUTHEAST MARKET PIPELINES PROJECT,

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES,

AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS


(February 18, 2014)

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that discusses the environmental impacts of the planned Southeast Market Pipelines (SMP) Project. The SMP Project is comprised of three separate, but connected, natural gas transmission pipeline projects: Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC’s (Sabal Trail’s) Sabal Trail Project in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida; Florida Southeast Connection, LLC’s (FSC’s) Florida Southeast Connection Project (FSC Project) in Florida; and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC’s (Transco’s) Hillabee Expansion Project in Alabama. The environmental impacts of all three projects will be considered in one EIS, which will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether the SMP Project is in the public convenience and necessity.


This notice, which is being sent to Continue reading FERC Notice of Intent for Environmental Impact Statement and Scoping Meetings →

Gas line ruptures under Raritan River

Hazards, Middlesex County, New Jersey, PHMSA, Water, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Central New Jersey last week, Alabama, Georgia, or Florida next year, under the Chattahoochee, the Flint, the Withlacoochee, the Suwannee, the Santa Fe, or the Ichetucknee River? Both Spectra and Williams Transco have pipelines under the Raritan River, and they want pipelines under our rivers.

Tom Davis wrote for New Brunswick Patch 14 February 2014, UPDATE: Ruptured Gas Line In Raritan River; Local Roads Closed,

The Fire Department and PSE&G are currently working on a ruptured gas line which runs under the Raritan River.

Due to a ruptured gas line in the vicinity of the Raritan River, portions of Johnson Drive will be closed to traffic. Expect delays and/or possible detours. The New Brunswick Fire Department and PSE&G are on scene and are not requiring any evacuations at this time.

There is no need for evacuation at this time. There is a strong odor of natural gas in the area.

Nicholas West posted a video on New Brunswick today that same day: Gas Line Ruptures in the Middle of the Raritan River: Continue reading Gas line ruptures under Raritan River →

A 36-inch pipeline blews up in Alabama

Alabama, Appomattox County, Environment, Explosion, Florida, Hazards, Marengo County, New Jersey, Safety, Trees, Virginia, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The pipeline Sabal Trail wants to connect to, Williams Transco in Alabama, blew up in 2011, flaming a hundred feet up, heard more than 30 miles away, left a crater more than 50 feet wide, destroyed 65 acres of trees, fried five acres of soil into pottery, and launched a 43-foot pipe section as a missile that landed 190 feet away. The cause was never announced. There was no construction going on, so could it be corrosion? Do we want another pipeline like that?

TXsharon wrote for Bluedaze drilling reform 2 January 2012, Pictures: Acres of devastation from Williams gas pipeline explosion in Alabama

Williams did some pigging just before this pipeline rupture but they didn’t receive the pigging results until after the explosion. The word from the locals in Alabama is that Williams is now frantically digging up parts of this same pipeline in several different locations which could indicate the problem is not isolated.Williams does not have a good track record of pipeline safety.

Jason Cannon wrote for Demopolis Times 3 December 2011, No cause known in explosion,

A Transco natural gas pipeline ruptured at approximately 3:07 p.m. Saturday with an explosion that could be heard for more than 30 miles while shooting flames nearly 100 feet in the air for over an hour….

Continue reading A 36-inch pipeline blews up in Alabama →

Local governments can restrict pipelines –Penn. Supreme Court

Alabama, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Law, Lowndes County, Pennsylvania, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Alabama, Georgia, and Florida probably don’t even have a restrictive law like the Pennsylvania Supreme Court just struck down, so local governments in the states along the proposed Sabal Trail, Florida Southeast Connection, and Transco Hillabee Expansion Project pipelines apparently can pass restrictions on pipelines. As can state legislatures.

Mark Scolforo and Marc Levy wrote for Associated Press 20 December 2013, Pa. Gas Drilling Decision Leaves Future Uncertain,

The energy industry and policy makers in Pennsylvania, the heart of the nation’s gas drilling boom, are thinking about their next moves after the state’s highest court threw out significant portions of a law that limited the power of cities and counties to regulate the industry.

The state Supreme Court voted 4-2 on Thursday to strike down portions of a 2012 law that had been crafted by Gov. Tom Corbett and his industry-friendly allies in the Legislature.

The article talks about corporate “need”: Continue reading Local governments can restrict pipelines –Penn. Supreme Court →

Williams Transco Hillabee Expansion Project PF14-6 to connect to Sabal Trail

Alabama, FERC, Texas, , , , , , , , , , ,

The third link: Sabal Trail plans to get its gas from Williams Transco’s Hillabee Expansion Project in Alabama, FERC Docket #PF14-6.

Here’s an excerpt from the Cover letter, Request for Pre-Filing Review, 4 November 2013.

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC
2800 Post Oak Boulevard (77056)
P.O. Box 1396
Houston, Texas 77251-1396
713/215-2000

November 4, 2013

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20426

Attention:Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Reference:Request for Pre-Filing Review
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC
Hillabee Expansion Project
Docket No. PF14-

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (“Transco”) respectfully requests that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) Staff initiate a pre-filing review of Transco’s proposed Hillabee Expansion Project (sometimes referred to herein as the “Project”). The Project is an expansion of Transco’s existing natural gas transmission system in Alabama that will enable Transco to provide an approximate 1,131,730 dekatherms per day (“dt/day”) of incremental transportation capacity to be constructed in three phases. The capacity created by the Project will be leased to Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC (“Sabal Trail”). The initial phase of the Hillabee Expansion Project is targeted to be placed in service May 1, 2017.

Project Overview: Continue reading Williams Transco Hillabee Expansion Project PF14-6 to connect to Sabal Trail →

New Brunswick natives win against fracking company

Alabama, Canada, Florida, Georgia, New Brunswick, Texas, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It sure looks like all Cowboys and Indians as far as fossil fuel companies are concerned, and the only Cowboys are the fossil fuel executives and investors. First Nations just won a temporary victory in New Brunswick, Canada against fracking company SWN, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwestern Energy of Houston, Texas. Landowners and other pipeline opponents in the U.S. southeast maybe can stop a methane pipeline that could well connect all the way up to those same contested shale fields in New Brunswick.

APTN national news wrote yesterday, SWN ending exploration work in NB, will be back in 2015: Elsipogtog War Chief Levi,

ELSIPGOTG FIRST NATION, NB—A Houston-based energy company that has faced ferocious resistance from a Mi’kmaq-led coalition is ending its shale gas exploration work for the year, says Elsipogtog War Chief John Levi.

Levi said Friday that the RCMP informed him that SWN Resources Canada is ending its exploration work, but will return in 2015.

SWN is not Spectra Energy. SWN fracks for gas; Spectra mostly transports it in pipelines. But look at Spectra’s own map, Our Portfolio of Assets: Continue reading New Brunswick natives win against fracking company →