New sinkhole in Lowndes County terrain Sabal Trail wants to gouge through

Twice in five years a sinkhole big enough to risk rerouting a road appears in Lowndes County, Georgia, in the same fragile karst limestone Valdosta limesink terrain Sabal Trail proposes to gouge through What if a sinkhole drops under that pipeline, and, like FGT in 2013, Sabal Trail declares force majeure and doesn’t pay?

See On the LAKE Front, 2015-08-06, County and news media digging deeper on Shiloh sinkhole story,

But that’s not the only crack in the fragile karst limestone containing our drinking water Floridan Aquifer. VSU’s Lake Louise research station on Touchton Road just north of Lake Park is a sinkhole, not to mention probably most of the lakes around Lake Park. You only have to glance at a map to see such lakes continue westwards to the Withlacoochee River. And Spectra Energy from Houston, Texas proposes to gouge its hundred-foot right of way for its 36-inch Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline right through that area. What happens if pipeline construction causes a sinkhole?

What if it’s not immediate? What if it sinks years later in a drought after water pumping nearby?

Sabal Trail’s Andrea Grover told me that they have insurance, despite what Spectra Energy’s annual filings with the SEC say. But has the county confirmed that?

What if Sabal Trail declares a sinkhole a force majeure (act of God) event, which is insurance lingo for ain’t our problem, like Florida Gas Transmission (FGT) did for the infamous 25-acre sinkhole in Assumption Parish, Louisiana in 2013? What will Lowndes County do then?

I’ve got an idea: let’s stop this unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous pipeline!

I never heard of solar panels causing sinkholes, and Georgia is the fastest-growing solar market in the country. Florida, the Sunshine State, the purported market for Sabal Trail’s fracked methane, could easily leap past Georgia next year if the FL legislature passes a solar financing law similar to the one Georgia passed this year.

No new pipelines. Go solar!

-jsq

8 thoughts on “New sinkhole in Lowndes County terrain Sabal Trail wants to gouge through

  1. That word IF covers a lot of territory .THE fl. legislature is not for solar.case closed.My wife attends these sessions they won’t bring it up for a vote.

    1. John, my wife and I do try to turn peoples mindset toward solar. As soon as they hear prices they don’t want to hear any more. Those who can afford it don’t want to bother with it. As to the Ledger article my wife has worked with Paula Dockery in Tallahassee, she was a very liberal republican (one of the very few) she was on the side of solar. She was fighting an up hill battle. If we could vote in some good democrats we could get things done to help the people and not the power cos. and big business. Some of the power cos. FP&L already have solar farms and planning more. They didn’t build them because of public demand. A few years back FP&L for their employees , my wife and I were invited at the time because we were selling solar hot water systems.(so much for that plan) and wanted us to come to Palm Beach along with others to put on demonstrations for their employees to educate them on solar products. Some of their key note speakers talked about the need for more power plants because of the boom in housing and all the people moving to FL. They noted that because of the long process in getting a new plant (sometimes years) they were going the solar route to help fill the gap, solar plants are easer to get approved and built. My point is they weren’t doing it for public demand but because it was easier. As to the tax credits being taken away, another way the republicans are trying to discourage people from going solar. The same way they refuse to fund the broke solar rebate program. One more note when these solar farms were being built the same argument about the animals and birds and eco system was used.

      1. John, you may have already checked out this website, but in case you haven’t go to: fcir.org/2015/04/03/in-sunshine-state-big-energy-blocks-solar-power After you read the article, tell me if you still think this pipeline is going to get cancelled (too many palms getting greased, too many high powered people with their hands in the pie). my opinion

  2. FPL added zero new solar capacity 2010-2013:

    http://spectrabusters.org/2014/04/25/fpl-supports-solar-power-without-spending-money-on-it-fpl-to-ferc/

    They’ll keep pushing their $3 billion pipeline boondoggle as long as they can. Then the bubble will pop.

    And this will happen: “My point is they weren’t doing it for public demand but because it was easier.” Exactly. Solar is so much faster, cheaper, easier even Southern Company finally couldn’t resist.

    And the up-front cost is what the solar financing bill will fix.

    http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20150820/columnist/150819609?template=printpicart

    http://www.flsolarchoice.org/

    -jsq

  3. You might be right about the bubble bursting some day. The article you referenced about Fl. solar choice is what I have been trying to tell you all along how power cos. and politicians are fighting residential solar tooth and nail. Maybe in 10 years we may see it, but for now the pipeline will get built.

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