Tag Archives: VDT

Sabal Trail Strikes Back

December 3, 2014Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Ethics, FERC, Georgia, Law, Stewart CountyAlzheimers, Andrea Grover, breach of law, Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Ethics, FERC, Frank S. Singer III, Georgia, Hunton & Williams, John S. Quarterman, Kitty Maidens, Law, Matthew Calvert, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Stewart County, terroristic, threats, Valdosta Daily Times, VDT, William B. SingerJohn S. Quarterman

Sabal Trail strikes back, claiming trespassing on your property for surveying isn’t a taking of your property rights, and pretending that wouldn’t lead to taking of property rights through eminent domain.

Filed with FERC 1 December 2014 as Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC submits Response to Recent Correspondence under PF14-1.

SABAL TRAIL TRANSMISSION, LLC
5400 Westheimer Court
Houston, TX 77056
December 1, 2014
Ms. Kimberly D. Bose
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20426
Re: Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC, Docket No. PF14-1-000
Response to Recent Correspondence
Dear Ms. Bose:
In a recent filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“Commission”), accession number 20141119-5122, Ms. Sandra Y. Jones alleged that Spectra Energy and Sabal Trail land agents have “threatened eminent domain” against homeowners along the proposed Sabal Trail route. Sabal Trail and Spectra Energy take these Continue reading Sabal Trail Strikes Back →

My Thanksgiving prize was an eminent domain threat from Sabal Trail –Sandra Jones to FERC

December 3, 2014Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Ethics, FERC, Georgia, Law, Stewart CountyAlzheimers, Andrea Grover, breach of law, Colquitt County, Dougherty County, Ethics, FERC, Frank S. Singer III, Georgia, Hunton & Williams, Kitty Maidens, Law, Matthew Calvert, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Stewart County, terroristic, threats, Valdosta Daily Times, VDT, William B. SingerJohn S. Quarterman

A Colquitt County resident spelled out a series of eminent domain threats to her, plus the background of the infamous Stewart County eminent domain ruling Sabal Trail has used to threaten landowners in other counties.

Filed with FERC 19 November 2014 as Protest of Sandra Y Jones under PF14-1 (PDF),

Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioners:

The article featuring an interview with Spectra’s Andrea Grover in today’s Valdosta Daily Times newspaper requires a response from an impacted landowner and please note that I am only one of possibly over a thousand in the same position. Ms. Grover asserts that allegations from homeowners that surveyors threatened eminent domain on their properties “hard to believe.”

Ms. Grover may be right that surveyors have not threatened eminent domain, but Spectra Energy and Sabal Trail land agents certainly have. In the second letter I received from this company dated September 16, 2013 (see attachments) requesting my signature for permission to survey my two tracts of land, the use of Georgia statute O.C.G.A. 22-3-88 was threatened.

“We hope you understand Continue reading My Thanksgiving prize was an eminent domain threat from Sabal Trail –Sandra Jones to FERC →

Sabal pipeline protest today –VDT

October 21, 2014Georgia, Lowndes CountyGeorgia, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Michael G. Noll, protest, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tom Hochschild, Valdosta, Valdosta Daily Times, VDT, WACEJohn S. Quarterman

You can march from VSU, go to this protest at the Sabal Trail office in Valdosta (facebook event), and onwards to the Sabal Trail Open House in Jasper, FL, all today.

Joe Adgie wrote for the VDT 21 October 2104, Sabal pipeline protest today,

VALDOSTA — Wiregrass Activists for Clean Energy will be protesting the proposed Sabal Trail Pipeline today.

The protest will be located on the corner of Park Avenue and Patterson Street from 4-5 p.m.

The VDT neglected to mention that that’s Sabal Trail’s Valdosta office address, which Sabal Trail opened back in December. Continue reading Sabal pipeline protest today –VDT →

Sabal Trail admits environmental destruction to Valdosta newspaper

July 27, 2014Environment, Ethics, FE, Florida, Georgia, Law, LNG, Lowndes County, TreesAndrea Grover, environment, Ethics, FE, Florida, FPL, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, LNG export, Lowndes County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Trees, Valdost, Valdosta Daily Times, VDTJohn S. Quarterman

Spectra’s Andrea Grover admitted trees don’t grow back fast, a “need to draw that line in the sand” and “we’re now moving forward”. This is the kind of “working with the landowners and the communities” that the Valdosta Daily Times found when it went to the local Sabal Trail office. STT plans to file with FERC at the end of October. But Spectra’s Andrea Grover admitted they need complete survey data, and Sabal Trail admitted they have no Georgia customers, which means they have no Georgia eminent domain, so every landowner who refuses is indeed putting a crimp into Spectra’s fracked methane pipeline.

Matthew Woody wrote for the VDT 27 July 2014, Sabal Trail explains its position, Continue reading Sabal Trail admits environmental destruction to Valdosta newspaper →

Spectra still leaving questions unanswered

December 19, 2013Colquitt County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, Lowndes County, Madison CountyBenjamin Vieth, Blake Clark, Brooks County, Clyattville, Colquitt County, FERC, Florida, Georgia, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Lowndes County, Madison, Madison County, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, stakeholders, Susan Waller, VDTJohn S. Quarterman

Here’s how Spectra’s VP of Stakeholder Outreach Susan Waller actually implements her assertion quoted in the Valdosta Daily Times Tuesday.

“I want stakeholders to talk to us. They have to ask the questions so we can answer them,” Waller said. “Keep talking. Don’t shut down.”

Sabal Trail meeting leaves questions unanswered –VDT
Landowners from Lowndes and Brooks Counties, Georgia, and the local newspaper of record complaining questions were still unanswered by Sabal Trail and Spectra at the 16 Dec 2013 Clyattville Open House, continuing a pattern of multiple Spectra reps not answering questions.
Video of Spectra answering a question about Sabal Trail in Madison, FL @ Sabal 2013-12-17.
At the Madison, Florida Open House Tuesday, at least Spectra’s Susan Waller acknowledged (after accusing the person trying to show it to her of being “disruptive”) that her company had reported pipeline incidents to PHMSA when the evidence was right in front of her. But Sabal Trail continued to assert, “We have a safe operation”.
Video of Susan Waller refusing to answer a question @ Sabal 2013-12-17.
Nevermind she just asked “what’s your question”. Then she refused to even listen to the question.

When I asked the FERC representatives at the Madison County meeting how to get Spectra to answer questions, they said file comments with FERC.

-jsq

Spectra Energy — Be the Best it Can Be –Mike Benard

December 16, 2013Dougherty County, Georgia, Lowndes County, Pennsylvania, Texas9 December 2013, Andrea Grover, Brian Fahrenthold, compressor, Dougherty County, EPA, Ethics, Georgia, Government, Greg Ebel, Gretchen Quarterman, History, Houston, John S. Quarterman, LAKE, Law, LCC, leak, Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange, Lowndes County, Lowndes County Commission, Mike Benard, natural gas, Pennsylvania, PHMSA, pipeline, Sabal Trail Transmission, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Steckman Ridge, Texas, transparency, Valdosta, VDT, WALB, Work SessionJohn S. Quarterman

Mike Benard sent this today to Spectra’s Andrea Grover, copied to a long list of news media and local, state, and federal elected and appointed officials and employees. For local background, see Spectra reps unfamiliar with Spectra fines @ LCC 2013-12-09. -jsq

Ms. Grover:

Those of us property owners who are already Spectra Energy “stakeholders” (the company’s term), want Spectra Energy to be the best it can be, consistent with its publicly stated commitment to Stakeholder Engagement, Integrity, Transparency, and Accountability.

Reference link: http://www.spectraenergy.com/Sustainability/Economic/Acting-with-Integrity/

To that end, and regarding your activities as a “Director of Stakeholder Outreach” on behalf of Spectra Energy’s proposed Sabal Trail pipeline, property owners in Georgia report that you are asserting the following at public meetings:

• You assert that property owners at Spectra Energy’s Steckman Ridge compressor facility in Bedford County, PA are “happy” despite ongoing problems there and a consistent lack of response from Spectra Energy to its “stakeholders.”

FACT: I speak for more than a dozen families who live next to or near the problematic compressor facility; and your statement is incorrect and misleading. What facts do you have to support such a disingenuous allegation? A ring of health, water and operational complaints surround this facility that began operations in 2009. Based on unofficial record keeping by neighbors, there have been nearly 60 shutdowns, blowdowns and related incidents at the Steckman Ridge compressor station and underground natural gas storage facility between August 2009 and the present. And there is much more, as you know.

• You assert that uncontrolled releases of methane and other hydrocarbons that happen too frequently at the Steckman Ridge compressor facility are “normal.” Let’s hope not. Your assertion is uninformed and misleading.

FACT: Recall the March 9-10 incident Continue reading Spectra Energy — Be the Best it Can Be –Mike Benard →

Landowners oppose intimidation and threats from Sabal Trail

November 17, 2013Georgia, Lowndes CountyCarol Singletary, Georgia, John S. Quarterman, Larry Rodgers, Lowndes County, Matthew Woody, SpectraBusters, VDTJohn S. Quarterman

No more, “It caught me off guard.” Landowners are warned now about that pipeline that would cut a 100 foot wide gash through here.

Matthew Woody on the front page of the VDT today, Residents opposed to natural gas pipeline: Concerns about tactics, property damage,

Many landowning residents along the pipeline are either feeling uninformed, or intimidated by Sabal Trail.

Larry Rodgers of Valdosta owns 900 acres in south Lowndes and he allowed Sabal Trail on his property to survey.

“I received a call from a lady, I think her name was Becky, down in Clearwater, Fla., requesting access to my property, and I allowed it,” Rodgers said. “I allowed them to, and I can’t tell you why I did. It caught me off guard. I wasn’t fully aware of all of the facts about the pipeline like I am now, and if I knew then what I know now, I certainly would not have allowed them to survey.”

Rodgers explained that he allowed Sabal Trail access to survey his property because he did not know a lot about the pipeline. But what made matters worse, Continue reading Landowners oppose intimidation and threats from Sabal Trail →