Category Archives: New York

NY Gov. asks FERC to suspend license for a Spectra pipeline

Petitions to the New York Governor may have helped him send this message to FERC about Spectra’s AIM pipeline project that would go far too close to the document-forging caught-fire leaked-oil-into-the-Hudson River Indian Point nuclear plant:

Lisa W. Foderaro, New York Times, 28 Feb 2016, Plan to Expand a Pipeline at Indian Point Raises Concern,

On Monday, the state plans to notify the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that it will take a hard look at the project in light of a series of problems at the nuclear plant since last May. In addition, the state will ask federal regulators to suspend their approval of the project — effectively halting construction — until the study is completed.

“I am directing Continue reading NY Gov. asks FERC to suspend license for a Spectra pipeline

The LNG export shell game: FERC, FE, MARAD, or NEB?

If you’re a Houston fossil fuel company and you can’t get FERC approval fast enough, try FE, or MARAD! Deepwater Port Location & Status Map If that doesn’t work, ship it by land through Canada or Mexico! Local property rights, they laugh at those! Rio Grande, Suwannee River, or Hudson River: just minor obstacles to greed! If the people are tired of profit being more important than their land, water, air, or safety, it’s time to stop this fossil fuel shell game.

MARAD

Continue reading The LNG export shell game: FERC, FE, MARAD, or NEB?

Albany, GA attorney missing the point about ordinance against pipelines

County attorneys are paid to be cautious. County and city Commissioners are elected to represent the people. Which will Albany and Dougherty County listen to about unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous pipelines like Sabal Trail?

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 4 August 2014, LOCAL GOVERNMENT 101: Albany’s municipal government based on charter, codes,

Dougherty County officials, who represent residents outside the city limits, say municipalities like Albany have more governmental flexibility in that they are not completely bound by state mandates. But Albany’s city attorney says that is not exactly accurate.

“The state has the authority to preempt any local laws other than zoning,” Nathan Davis says. “If state law ‘moves into an area’ — such as the fireworks law that went into effect in July — municipalities must have a local ordinance that matches the state law.

“There has been in our community a call by some to create an ordinance that would impact the ultimate decision of whether that (Sabal Trail Transmission) pipeline is allowed Continue reading Albany, GA attorney missing the point about ordinance against pipelines

Follow New York State and ban fracking nationwide –Lois Gibbs

The woman who stood up for Love Canal residents and caused the federal government to create Superfunds now calls for a nationwide fracking ban. And with no fracking, there will be no new pipelines!

Buffalo News, 13 July 2015, Another Voice: Federal fracking ban should follow New York’s lead,

By Lois Marie Gibbs

On June 29, New York took the final step in the process to ban fracking, following the announcement of the ban last December based on significant public health risks. In many ways, the ban stems from the large movement of activists and scientists who raised their voices and showed clearly that fracking has unacceptable dangers. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo deserves tremendous praise for standing up to the oil and gas industry and protecting the public health and safety of all New Yorkers.

Unfortunately, the federal government’s plans for fracking contrast poorly Continue reading Follow New York State and ban fracking nationwide –Lois Gibbs

Fracking and pipeline bans start at the local level

Local ordinances lead to state laws banning fracking and pipelines. And don’t forget Sabal Trail has to get permits from the Georgia Department of Transportation for road crossings and an air quality permit from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division for the Albany compressor station, or no pipeline. There is plenty local, state, and federal elected officials can do to stop this invading fracked methane destruction and hazard. Rev. Ezekiel Holly called on local officials to act. Here are some ways how.

How about a county ordinance rooted in the Comprehensive Plan? A local ordinance was used by Jefferson County, Florida to keep Nestle out of the same Floridan Aquifer. Local ordinances have been used in Pennsylvania to stop pipelines, and upheld by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Local ordinances were used across New York State to ban fracking, and upheld by the state Court of Appeals, until the state government finally took up the cause and banned fracking statewide.

Now New York state residents are saying Continue reading Fracking and pipeline bans start at the local level

Stopping fracking means stopping pipelines: Yoko Ono et al. in the New York Times

Gasland posted on facebook a picture of an ad against fracking, pipelines, and LNG export in the New York Times 9 July 2015 by Yoko Ono, Gasland, Food and Water Watch, and many other groups. 300x502 Ad in New York Times, in Imagine there is no Fracking!, by Yoko Ono, for SpectraBusters.org, 9 July 2015 You can sign onto that letter here.

Everything it says applies as much to Alabama, Georgia, and Florida and the Williams-Spectra-FPL Transco-Sabal Trail-FSC fracked methane pipeline chain as it does to New York and Williams’ “Constitution Pipeline”. Here are a few excerpts:

By now the whole world knows that Fracking is bad for your health! It is bad for communities and it is bad for the climate. That is why I am so glad that New York State and Governor Andrew Cuomo banned fracking.

But now we are facing the gas industry who are still trying to Frack New York. The fracked gas industry wants to build a pipeline that would cut across New York state like a scar that never heals. It goes by the ridiculous and Orwellian name “The Constitution Pipeline”. How dare they!

We cannot allow another poisonous plan for our beautiful state that we all love.

We must stop fracking, which means we must not transport fracked gas across our state where it is headed for foreign export markets. The danger to our homes, is also Continue reading Stopping fracking means stopping pipelines: Yoko Ono et al. in the New York Times

Spectra already lost at FERC once; could also lose at NRC

FERC previously denied a Spectra pipeline, and now the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) may prevent one. After three months of asking, John Peconom of FERC divulged how many pipelines FERC had ever denied: two, of which one was for a pipeline from an LNG site in Providence, Rhode Island, proposed by KeySpan LNG, L.P. and Algonquin Gas Transmission LLC, and denied by FERC 5 July 2005. According to Spectra Energy:

Continue reading Spectra already lost at FERC once; could also lose at NRC

Don’t let FERC and Spectra AIM fracked gas at Indian Point Nuke: petition

What’s worse than a nuclear power plant with forged safety documents on a fault line that catches fire and leaks oil into the Hudson River? A fracked methane pipeline right next to it, by a Houston company with a long rap sheet of safety violations! Please follow the link, sign this petition, and share widely.

Petition to New York Senator Chuck Schumer and Governor Andrew Cuomo, Reject Siting of Massive New Spectra Gas Pipeline Next to Indian Point Nuclear Facility

And don’t forget to sign the Petition to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal: Oppose Sabal Trail like you oppose the Palmetto Pipeline.

-jsq

Justice was served at last for the Seneca Lake protesters

This, Sabal Trail, is what a historical precedent looks like. They protested fracked methane storage, were arrested, charged, and the charges were just dismissed with prejudice, which means they case can’t be brought back on those charges. Everything they said about Seneca Lake applies equally to the Sabal Trail pipeline, the Palmetto Pipeline, Elba Island LNG export, and the rest of the whole cash-out-before-the-carbon-bubble-pops fossil fuel boondoggle.

Sometimes, in good conscience, citizens must engage in non-violent acts of civil disobedience to protect our sacred trust.

Surveying for the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline is not “imperative”, no matter how many threatening letters Sabal Trail sends. These are our sacred trust: Continue reading Justice was served at last for the Seneca Lake protesters

Beware pipeline trespassers during holidays

Lock your gates and call the sheriff and a lawyer if you see any signs of pipeline trespass, and complain to the state Attorney General, advises someone dealing with Williams’ Constitution Pipeline, and since Sabal Trail has already had a criminal trespass trial, we can’t expect them to be any better. Just because you’re on holiday the rest of this week, don’t assume the pipeline company is. And you’ll probably need an attorney for those eminent domain lawsuits if Sabal Trail gets a FERC permit, so file your motion to intervene or ecomment today.

Chip Northrup wrote for No Fracking Way, Pipeline Threatens Then Trespasses, Continue reading Beware pipeline trespassers during holidays