Tag Archives: Ichetucknee Alliance

Suwannee County Gas Pipeline Alert

March 13, 2014Florida, Suwannee County, WaterDavid Hannah, Florida, Ichetucknee Alliance, Ichetucknee River, Ichetucknee River Estates, John S. Quarterman, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson Santa Fe River, Our Santa Fe River, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Suwannee County, Suwannee River, Withlacoochee RiverJohn S. Quarterman

Seen on Our Santa Fe River and Ichetucknee Alliance facebook pages today. Spectra Energy also proposed the Sabal Trail methane pipeline to go under the Withlacoochee River a second time just before it goes under the Suwannee River to enter Suwannee County. Why not just cross the Suwannee upstream of Ellaville where the Withlacoochee meets the Suwannee? Because that’s where Stephen Foster Folk Culture State Park is. Maybe the Withlacoochee, Suwannee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers are also important to the culture of the entire area.

Gas Pipeline Alert:
Tuesday, March 18th, 6 pm, Suwannee County BOCC

North Central Florida, here is the next public meeting about Sabal’s gas highway in Suwannee County, cutting under a Springshed in the Santa Fe River, about 1/2 mile from the confluence of the Ichetucknee River.
Speak to Board about your concerns with a gas highway through Suwannee County and the Santa Fe River, near the Ichetucknee River (.66 miles away from the confluence). Fill out a card to speak when you arrive. You will have 3 minutes to address the Board. read more here: http://www.suwanneedemocrat.com/suwannee/x787212730/Suwannee-County-Commission-meeting-agenda-for-March-18-2014
SUWANNEE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
JUDICIAL ANNEX BUILDING
218 PARSHLEY STREET SOUTHWEST
LIVE OAK, FLORIDA 32064
TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR March 18, 2014, 6:00 P.M.
“14. Discuss Sabal Trail gas line. (David Hanna) 5 minutes”

Natural gas highway proposed in the springs heartland –Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson

March 8, 2014Alabama, Economy, Environment, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Hamilton County, Suwannee County, WaterAlabama, Columbia County, Economy, environment, Florida, Floridan Aquifer, Fracking, Georgia, Gilchrist County, Ichetucknee Alliance, Ichetucknee River, John S. Quarterman, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, NextEra Energy, Our Santa Fe River, Sabal Trail Transmission, Santa Fe River, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, springs, Suwannee County, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Merrillee did it, and so can you: write a letter to your local newspaper, or to a state or national one, for that matter.

In the Suwannee Democrat Thursday and a longer version in the Gainesville Sun today, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson: Natural gas highway proposed in the springs heartland -jsq.

The springs have been taking a beating in our recent history and now they are poised to brace for another blow. Spectra Energy Corp. and NextEra Energy Inc. have teamed up to build a $3 billion gas highway that will connect an Alabama natural gas bulk transfer station, cut through Georgia and bisect Florida’s springs heartland.

It would extend down to Orlando, where the gas will be dispersed into two more pipelines, ultimately benefiting Florida Power and Light. The two corporations have created Sabal Trails LLC for the surveying and construction team. Spectra Energy Corp. constructs pipelines and created Sabal Trails to get the job done, while Florida Power and Light wants the gas and is a subsidiary of the electricity supplier NextEra Energy Inc.

The Florida citing commission has ruled to allow NextEra and Spectra the right to survey and build another gas transmission pipeline through Florida’s vulnerable landscape. Land impacts will be plentiful; protected animal and plant species will have to suffer Continue reading Natural gas highway proposed in the springs heartland –Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson →

The Alliance opposes any new pipelines in these areas –Ichetucknee Alliance to FERC

December 27, 2013Economy, FERC, Florida, Hazards, Safetyaccidents, aquifer, birding, Coffee Spring, Columbia County, damage, Economy, fatalities, FERC, Florida, Floridobia mica, FWC, Hazards, Ichetucknee Alliance, Ichetucknee River, Ichetucknee River Estates, Ichetucknee River Springs, Ichetucknee Siltsnail, Ichetucknee Springs State Park, injuries, jobs, John S. Quarterman, limestone, porous, property, Safety, SpectraBusters, springs, taxpayers, Three Rivers EstatesJohn S. Quarterman

Filed with FERC 17 December 2013 and on the Ichetucknee Alliance facebook group:

Lucinda F Merritt, Fort White, FL.
The Ichetucknee Alliance (http://ichetuckneealliance.org) opposes placement of any new natural gas pipelines under, over or through the 5.5-mile long Ichetucknee River, including the area of Ichetucknee Springs State Park, the area of Columbia County that is included in the historic riverbed (the Ichetucknee Trace), and any part of the Ichetucknee Springshed.

The Alliance opposes any new pipelines in these areas for the following reasons.

The river and springs, including Ichetucknee Springs State Park, are Continue reading The Alliance opposes any new pipelines in these areas –Ichetucknee Alliance to FERC →

Georgia pipeline safety record worse than in Florida

November 25, 2013Florida, Georgia, SafetyAlapaha River, corrosion, Florida, Georgia, Ichetucknee Alliance, John S. Quarterman, karst, leaks, limestone, Sabal Trail Transmission, Safety, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Withlacoochee River, WWALSJohn S. Quarterman

Should we add to Georgia’s string of serious pipeline accidents (worse than Florida’s) by letting a pipeline company with fines for corrosion and leaks from PHMSA and a record fine for PCB spills from EPA gash an even bigger pipeline through our farms and past our towns, churches, and schools?

The data on Florida pipeline accidents in Ichetucknee Alliance’s position paper against the pipeline (the position that got Spectra’s Andrea Grover to say the “preferred” route had moved and “currently” there was no threat to the Ichetucknee River or Columbia County, Florida); that pipeline accident data came from Pipeline Safety Tracker, which finds an even worse pipeline safety record for Georgia: 89 incidents, 7 fatalities, 36 injuries, and $56.3 million in property damage.

Among those Georgia incidents was one near Albany, Georgia, 29 May 2004, caused by “Environmental Cracking Related” which caused $209,447 in property damage. That could be a concern about a proposed pipeline put in by a company whose employees told federal inspectors it never conducted key test for corrosion.

Even worse was this one, Continue reading Georgia pipeline safety record worse than in Florida →