Tag Archives: Water

At least put Sabal Trail on hold –Moultrie resolution

June 17, 2015Colquitt County, Compressor, FERC, Georgia, Law, Safety, WaterAirport, Colquitt County, compressor, ecosystem, eminent domain, FERC, FPL, GA EPD, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, need, NextEra, property rights, Sabal Trail, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, taxes, Water, William M. McIntoshJohn S. Quarterman

Moultrie‘s review shows the Texan and Floridan FERC-enabled Sabal Trail wants Colquitt County as a cheap invasion route, even though that threatens local property rights, taxes, health, welfare, airport, and general ecosystem, while there’s no demonstrated need for the fracked methane nor any definitive plans even to sell it in Georgia, so the Moultrie city government opposes the pipeline and resolves that it should at least be put on hold until local concerns are adequately considered by FERC and GA-EPD.

So both of the counties (Dougherty and Colquitt) and both of their county seats (Albany and Moultrie) named by Sabal Trail as needing gas through MGAG have passed resolutions saying they don’t want the pipeline at all, along with Terrell County, Brooks County, Lowndes County, and Valdosta, Georgia, plus Hamilton County, Florida.

Filed with FERC 6 May 2015 as Accession Number: 20150506-0008, “City of Moultrie, Georgia submits a Resolution re the Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC Natural Gas Pipeline etc under PF14-1.” Continue reading At least put Sabal Trail on hold –Moultrie resolution →

Oregon citizen bursts pipeline company talking points

May 26, 2015Economy, Environment, LNG, Oregon, Solar, WaterEconomy, eminent domain, environment, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, LNG, LNG export, Oregon, Pacific Connector, Palmetto Project, pollution, property rights, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Water, Williams Company, windJohn S. Quarterman

An Oregonian thoroughly explodes the standard pipeline script:

“I guess we could stand having a 232-mile IED in our backyard if it is really benefits the public. But who, exactly, is the public here?”

His Canadian pipeline moguls are actually both from Houston, Texas: Williams Company with its Washington Expansion Project (WEP) getting its fracked methane from Spectra Energy’s Westcoast Pipeline. Oh, this is another Williams pipeline: Pacific Connector, going to the same Jordan Cover LNG export terminal as WEP. The same Williams Company of Transco’s Hillabee Expansion Project to feed Spectra Energy’s Sabal Trail pipeline. The same Sabal Trail that’s suing a Georgia Centennial Family Farm tomorrow in Moultrie, Georgia. All the pipeline companies seem to follow the same script, including Kinder Morgan for its Palmetto Pipeline. And this Oregonian answered for all of us facing pipeline invaders.

Diarmuid McGuire, Ashland Daily Tidings, 22 January 2015, Guest Opinion: We’re Oregonians, but we’re not stupid, Continue reading Oregon citizen bursts pipeline company talking points →

KMI playing same tricks for Palmetto as Sabal Trail did

May 22, 2015Corrosion, Georgia, Hazards, Law, PHMSA, Safety, WaterAiken County, corrosion, El Paso Pipeline, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, KMI, Law, leaks, North Augusta, Open House, Palmetto Pipeline, PHMSA, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Savannah Riverkeeper, South Carolina, Southern Natural Gas, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Wall Street Journal, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

This meeting format sounds like the Open Houses Sabal Trail held to snow and bully landowners. And notice it’s always “80 percent survey approval”, yet we never get to see any list of landowners? Plus pipeline companies are always working to improve their safety record, except it never seems to improve. See below for some recent highlights of KMI’s long lack of safety record.

T.J. Lundeen, North Augusta Star, 21 May 2015, Palmetto Pipeline of confusion: Session in North Augusta leaves many baffled, Continue reading KMI playing same tricks for Palmetto as Sabal Trail did →

Against Sabal Trail in Savannah 2015-05-21

May 19, 2015Chatham County, Environment, Georgia, Law, Wateraquifer, Chatham County, conservation, Economy, environment, Georgia, Jacksonville, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, north Florida, Palmetto Project, pipeline, Push Back the Pipeline, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, Savannah, Sierra Club, south Georgia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, T. Boone Pickens, Water, watershed, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Maybe Push Back the Pipeline can help convince Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and GDOT to oppose Sabal Trail like they successfully opposed the Palmetto pipeline. In Savannah Thursday May 21st a landowner affected by Sabal Trail and WWALS Watershed Coalition President John S. Quarterman will make the case at the Coastal Group of the Georgia Sierra Club. More details and background from WWALS, and see below about the event. All opponents of the Sabal Trail and Palmetto pipelines are invited.

Connect Savannah, today, (also on Push Back the Pipeline), Georgia’s Other Unwanted and Unneeded Pipeline,

When: Thu., May 21, 7 p.m.
Phone: 912-961-6190
Price: Free
Where: First Presbyterian Church
520 Washington Ave Savannah-Eastside
912-354-7615
www.fpc.presbychurch.net
The Palmetto Pipeline is not the only pipeline project in Georgia Continue reading Against Sabal Trail in Savannah 2015-05-21 →

Sabal Trail as environmental and property rights issue @ LCDP 2015-06-01

May 11, 2015Environment, Georgia, Law, Lowndes County, Politics, Watereminent domain, environment, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, LCDP, Lowndes County, Lowndes County Democratic Party, property rights, SAVE, SpectraBusters, Valdosta, WACE, Water, WWALSJohn S. Quarterman

SpectraBusters board member Debra Johnson will be a panelist at the June 1st Lowndes County Democratic Party monthly meeting about environmental issues and property rights, 6PM 1 June 2015, at the Lowndes County Board of Elections office, 2808 North Oak Street, Valdosta, Georgia. This topic obviously includes among other issues the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline. Other panelists will be from the Lowndes County Commission, WWALS, WACE, and SAVE.

Anyone can speak up from the audience, and local TV covered Continue reading Sabal Trail as environmental and property rights issue @ LCDP 2015-06-01 →

Canadian natives reject $1 billion offer from fossil fuel company: environment more important

May 10, 2015British Columbia, Economy, Environment, WaterBritish Columbia, Economy, environment, John S. Quarterman, Kinder Morgan, Lax Kw'alaams, Malaysia, Pacific Northwest LNG project, Palmetto Project, Petronas, Prince Rupert, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

A fossil fuel company can make a real financial offer when it wants to, not just the pocket change people in the U.S. southeast are being offered for easements for the Sabal Trail or Palmetto pipelines. And no offer is enough to outweigh the environmental damage, was the unanimous vote of a Canadian native group about a competitor of Spectra Energy.

Brent Jang, Globe and Mail, 8 May 2015, Environment dwarfs financial merit in LNG deal for B.C. First Nations,

For the Lax Kw’alaams in British Columbia, Thursday’s decision turned out to be simple — the environmental risks of a massive liquefied natural gas project far outweighed the financial rewards.

In the second stage of three votes, Continue reading Canadian natives reject $1 billion offer from fossil fuel company: environment more important →

Sabal Trail sues Georgia Centenial Family Farm @ Moultrie 2015-05-28

May 7, 2015Agriculture, Colquitt County, Environment, Georgia, Law, Trees, WaterAgriculture, Colquitt County, eminent domain, environment, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Larry Salmon, Law, Moultrie, Rome, SpectraBusters, Trees, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Update 2015-05-10: Added case number, judge’s address, and directions.

Sabal Trail has sued another dozen landowners, and one case comes to trial 9:30 AM May 28th 2015 at the Courthouse Annex in Moultrie, Georgia. They want to Continue reading Sabal Trail sues Georgia Centenial Family Farm @ Moultrie 2015-05-28 →

Why Georgia Doesn’t Need the Palmetto Pipeline –Poets Love Birds

May 4, 2015Economy, Environment, FERC, Georgia, WaterAltamaha River, Chattahoochee River, Economy, environment, FERC, Flint River, Florida Aquifer, Georgia, greed, John S. Quarterman, karst, Kinder Morgan, limestone, Ogeechee River, Palmetto Pipeline, Sabal Trail Transmission, Santa Fe River, Satilla River, Savannah River, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, St. Mary's River, Suwannee River, Water, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

The Suwannee River faces invasion by both Kinder Morgan’s Palmetto petroleum products pipeline and Spectra Energy’s Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline. Plus the Savannah, Ogeechee, Altamaha, Satilla, and St. Mary’s River are threatened by the Palmetto Project, Chattahoochee, Flint, Withlacoochee, and Santa Fe Rivers are threatened by Sabal Trail, plus most both projects is above the fragile Floridan Aquifer. All for no known local benefit; just to profit corporate greed.

Curtis and Norma Beaird, Poets Love Birds, 30 April 2015, Why Georgia Doesn’t Need the Palmetto Pipeline: Our Filing to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC),

We are writing this article because we are very concerned about the proposed Palmetto Pipeline to be built in the state of Georgia. Kinder Morgan plans to build 360-mile pipeline that will run from Belton, South Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida. According to the Savannah Riverkeeper, 218 miles of the pipeline will be in Georgia and 142 miles of the pipeline will be built in South Carolina. This pipeline would move refined petroleum products, to include denatured fuel ethanol. …
According to Push Back the Pipeline:

In the continental U.S., there are only 42 free-flowing rivers greater than 124 miles in length. Georgia contains five of these rivers, three of which are in the path of the proposed pipeline, Altamaha, Ogeechee, and Satilla Rivers. The Okefenokee Swamp is also the headwaters of the St. Marys and the Suwanee River, which flows to the Gulf of Mexico.

Georgia also contains most of the free-flowing 205-mile Alapaha River, which fortunately isn’t currently the target of any pipeline. However, Spectra Energy proposes to gouge its Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline under the 115-mile Withlacoochee River in Georgia. And Sabal Trail would cross the Suwannee River in Florida, so the Suwannee is a target of both pipelines: Palmetto in Georgia, and Sabal Trail in Florida.

Here’s Curtis Beaird’s FERC filing, which notes that Kinder Morgan has not proven any need Continue reading Why Georgia Doesn’t Need the Palmetto Pipeline –Poets Love Birds →

Georgia has no use for new pipelines –AJC

April 6, 2015Colquitt County, Compressor, Dougherty County, Environment, Georgia, Law, Lowndes County, WaterAtlanta, Atlanta Gas Light, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Colquitt County, compressor, conservation, Coweta County, Dalton Expansion Project, Dan Chapman, Dan Coleman, Don Theime, Dougherty County, environment, Georgia, Greenlaw, Houston, John S. Quarterman, Law, Lowndes County, Palmetto Pipeline, Palmetto Project, pipeline, Push Back the Pipeline, river, Sabal Trail Transmission, Savannah Riverkeeper, south Georgia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Steve Caley, Ted Turner, Texas, Transco, Water, watershed, Williams Company, Withlacoochee River, WWALS, WWALS Watershed CoalitionJohn S. Quarterman

Four pipeline projects surround Atlanta, and Georgia’s governor won’t comment. Spectra’s Andrea Grover did, though, saying the Albany compressor station would be no louder than “a modern-day dishwasher.”

Dan Chapman, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 3 April 2015, Pipeline project fuels fight on state’s future,

VALDOSTA — Southwest Georgia is roiling mad over a proposed gas pipeline to Florida that virtually nobody in Atlanta, except Ted Turner, has heard about.

John Carlton looks over a gopher tortoise hole a few feet away from a 1954 easement for an 8 inch natural gas line on his property at Morrison Pines Plantation in Moultrie. The planned Sabel Trail pipeline would run 50 feet over from the existing line. Carlton is undecided on the proposal.
Photograph credit: Curtis Compton, AJC

Electric Power & Light has more of the text: Continue reading →

If eminent domain is hardship to Mineral Interest Owners, it’s hardship to everyone else

March 5, 2015Alabama, Chambers County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, History, Law, Texas, WaterAlabama, caverns, Chambers County, drinking water, eminent domain, FERC, Florida, Floridan Aquifer, gas, Georgia, History, John S. Quarterman, Law, minerals, oil, salt, SpectraBusters, springs, Texas, Turtle Bay, Turtle Bayou, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

If affected salt and other minerals in subsurface caverns are enough to deny a FERC permit, drinking water in the Floridan Aquifer should be, too. The “first formal protest of Texas colonists against Mexican tyranny” was signed at Turtle Bayou, Chambers County, Texas, where an Alabama Company four years ago wanted to store natural gas underground with an associated pipeline that FERC denied. Communities and local governments throughout the Floridan Aquifer have signed protests against fossil fuel company tyranny in the form of the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline.

FERC denied that permit application for Turtle Bayou Gas Storage Company in 2011; one of only two pipeline applications that FERC’s John Peconom could find that FERC ever denied. The applicant appealed. FERC replied in Dockets CP10-481-002 and CP10-481-000, ORDER DENYING REQUEST FOR REHEARING OR RECONSIDERATION (Issued April 11, 2012), Continue reading If eminent domain is hardship to Mineral Interest Owners, it’s hardship to everyone else →