Tag Archives: north Florida

Denial of Survey Consent, etc., Kira Pollock to FERC about Sabal Trail Expansion Project 2026-08-24

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Kira Pollock is the first to file a complaint with the FERC about Sabal Trail’s plan to gouge a second pipeline next to the one they built a decade ago.

She lives in the middle of Suwannee County, Florida. It’s Accession Number 20260824-5071 in Docket CP15-17-000 with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

That’s the old Sabal Trail docket, and nothing else has been filed in it since May 2025. The 2025 activity was just regular reports and a request and grant of extension of time for Sabal Trail Phase III. That’s an old project that was already delayed several years. It was to expand capacity of the old pipeline by a small amount.

This Sabal Trail Expansion Project would approximatly double the amount of fracked methane.

As previously mentioned, The only “economic development” I can see that would cause this is hyper-scale AI datacenters.

[Denial of Survey Consent, Kira Pollock to FERC, about Sabal Trail Expansion Project 2026-08-24]
Denial of Survey Consent, Kira Pollock to FERC, about Sabal Trail Expansion Project 2026-08-24
Map from Suwannee County Property Appraiser.

You can send in your own comments, so nobody can say there were no objections. Just go to ferc.gov -> FERC Online -> Login -> New User and make yourself an account. Then go to FERC Online Home -> eComment and comment in Docket Number CP15-17-000.

Here’s what she wrote:

Kira Pollock, Live Oak, FL.

PARCEL ID: 34-03S-13E-08739-000290 – Denial of Survey Consent, Formal Objection & Structural Constraint Notice – Sabal Trail Expansion Project (Quail Hollow)

Dear Sabal Trail Land Acquisition Team,

I am writing to share some important neighborhood feedback and formally log my concerns regarding the proposed Sabal Trail Expansion Project study corridor as it relates to my property and our immediate neighborhood within the Quail Hollow subdivision in Suwannee County, Florida. I understand that your team is currently in the planning and information-gathering phase, so I wanted to reach out cooperatively to bring some significant physical, structural, and hydrological bottlenecks in our neighborhood to your attention so we can avoid issues down the road.

After reviewing the track of your current 36-inch mainline easement Continue reading →

Diesel spill, Racetrac, US 84, I-75 Exit 16, Valdosta 2026-08-22

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A truck this afternoon leaked quite a bit of diesel into a storm drain at the Racetrac on US 84, West Hill Avenue, just west of I-75 Exit 16, Valdosta Georgia.

That’s near the Briarwood Road exit from the Racetrac service station. That area drains into Mud Swamp Creek, to the Alapahoochee, Alapaha, and Suwannee Rivers.

According to Racetrac staff inside, who were reviewing CCTV video, the spill started about 2:30 PM and the Valdosta Fire Department was there by about 3:30 PM.

I was alerted to this event by texted pictures from a WWALS member at 4 PM. And I got there about 5:15 PM. VFD personnel did not have an estimate of gallons spilled.

Valdosta City Engineer Ben O’Dowd responded at 6:39 PM, “EPD was notified immediately following the incident by VFD as well as the gas station and are coordinating cleanup directly with the responsible party.”

[Diesel spill, Racetrac, Valdosta, GA, US 84, I-75 Exit 16, 2026-08-22, Drains to Mud Swamp Creek, Alapahoochee, Alapaha, Suwannee Rivers]
Diesel spill, Racetrac, Valdosta, GA, US 84, I-75 Exit 16, 2026-08-22, Drains to Mud Swamp Creek, Alapahoochee, Alapaha, Suwannee Rivers

Here are some video snippets.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/27808538962171760/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DcXIVPFoe1q/

https://youtu.be/8RdEQEXXhYY

There are more images below.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-08-19

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The Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers tested clean this week.

No new sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia, but there was an update on the August 5 Tifton spill.

So according to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, if you can avoid the rains.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, No new sewage spills, Happy paddling 2026-08-19]
Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, No new sewage spills, Happy paddling 2026-08-19

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Songs for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest on Scott James radio 2026-08-13

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Last call, songwriters, tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19, 2026:

https://forms.gle/fihLNVC2xbD1SXBB6

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman discussed the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest last Thursday at the Mayor’s day job, the radio show he owns and hosts on talk921.fm.

Songs can be about any waterbody in the 10,000-square mile Suwannee River Basin or Estuary in Georgia or Florida, including the Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha, Alapahoochee, or Suwannee Rivers, or the Okefenokee Swamp, or any other river, creek, swamp, or sink. Plus underground waters such as the Floridan Aquifer.

Songwriters can be from anywhere; they come from as far as Tennessee and south Florida.

[Songs for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest by August 19, on Scott James radio, Finalists play September 12, 2026]
Songs for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest by August 19, on Scott James radio, Finalists play September 12, 2026

Here are WWALS videos from that radio show:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2118859655696045

https://www.instagram.com/p/DcL-5a7I2nc/

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSTFinxTNQsw&si=u4CDRXlSjW5tCIl6

Once we get those last few songs from the procrastinating songwriters, the organizing committee will select Finalists.

The Finalists will play at WWALS River Revue, 5-9 PM, Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the Lowndes County 4-H Club in Lake Park, Georgia, on Long Pond.

https://wwals.net/pictures/songwriting2026

When you buy a ticket, you get to hear them along with the three judges, who will select the winners.

And you get a sit-down dinner with cash bar, Headliner Joe First, who is last year’s winner, and two speakers:

  • Amy Sharma of Science for Georgia, talking about hyper-scale AI datacenters.
  • Rick Davis, Chair of the dozen-county Florida Task Force, talking about Water First North Florida (WFNF), the currently-hibernating scheme to pipe treated wastewater from Jacksonville into wetlands in the Suwannee Basin.

Plus a silent auction! Continue reading →

Florida Governor Candidates: Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17

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Here’s what six people running for Florida Governor have to say about clean water. The other candidates did not respond.

We got a variety of answers about WFNF, desalination, potable reuse, WMDs, datacenters, and RTCW. For what these candidates wrote about those and other issues, see below.

[Florida Governor Candidates, Clean Water Questionnaire, WFNF, Datacenters, WMDs, etc. --WWALS 2026-08-17]
Florida Governor Candidates, Clean Water Questionnaire, WFNF, Datacenters, WMDs, etc. –WWALS 2026-08-17

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

We already reported responses from statehouse District 9 and District 10, and also U.S. Congress Florida District 2.

For much more about Water First North Florida (WFNF), see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

Primary Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18. Continue reading →

Florida U.S. House District 3: Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17

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Update 2026-08-17: Florida Governor Candidates: Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17.

Here’s what some of those running for U.S. Congress from Florida District 3 have to say about clean water: Troy Albers and Seth Harp.

Kat Cammack (the incumbent), Georgia Hubac, Mike Klein, and Tom Wells did not respond.

FL-03 covers Hamilton, Columbia, Baker, Union, Bradford, Alachua, Gilchrist, Suwannee, (most of ) Lafayette, Dixie, Levy, Counties, and part of Marion County. That’s almost all of the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, except not Madison County.

[Florida U.S. House District 3, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire --WWALS 2026-08-17]
Florida U.S. House District 3, Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire –WWALS 2026-08-17

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is conducting a Political Candidate Clean Water Questionnaire: #WWALSCleanWaterQuestionnaire

We already reported responses from statehouse District 9 and District 10.

In FL-03 also WFNF is not popular, WMDs in their current form are problematical, hyper-scale AI datacenters are looked upon ascance, and these candidates support RTCW. For these candidates’ answers to those and other questions, see below.

For much more about Water First North Florida (WFNF), see:

https://wwals.net/issues/wfnf

If you are a candidate for state or national office in Florida this year, in the Suwannee River Basin, we sent you a questionnaire. If you didn’t get it, please let us know.

https://wwals.net/donations/contact/

Primary Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18.

Our source for who is running is Continue reading →

Black Creek treated waste creek water pipeline broke after less than a week 2026-08-11

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Update 2026-08-15: It’s treated creek water, not human wastewater.

It broke four days after SJRWMD bragged about it working: the Black Creek treated waste creek water pipeline into Alligator Creek.

This is the prototype for the 60+-mile Water First North Florida (WFNF) pipeline from Jacksonville into the Suwannee River Basin.

We should trust SJRWMD and JEA to build a pipeline?

There’s an election going on. No candidate seems to want to support WFNF.

WWALS sent a clean water questionnaire to all Florida candidates for office. It also got answers on many other water topics. Some of those answers may help you choose who to vote for.

Here are the answers from Statehouse District 9:

https://wwals.net/?p=70813

And the answers from Statehouse District 10:

https://wwals.net/?p=70829

[Black Creek treated creek water pipeline broke 2026-08-11, after less than a week, Prototype for WFNF]
Black Creek treated creek water pipeline broke 2026-08-11, after less than a week, Prototype for WFNF

WCJB Staff, WCJB, August 11, 2026, Pipe burst, eroded underneath State Road 21 in Clay County, lanes blocked,

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, Fla. (WCJB) – The Black Creek pipeline burst and eroded underneath State Road 21 between State Road 16 and Sharron Road in Clay County Tuesday morning.

Clay County Fire Rescue officials say the pumps that supply the water are secured. State Road 21 is currently down to one lane.

Fire rescue officials are at the scene and FDOT officials are mobilizing to repair the damage. Officials say there are no injuries or accidents at this time.

Continue reading →

Ashburn sewage spill 2026-08-02, Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-08 but dirty Town of Alapaha, Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-08-12

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Update 2026-08-21 Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2026-08-19.

The Alapaha River tested clean last Friday, but the Town of Alapaha Wastewater Treatment Outflow was filthy.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean for Monday and for Wednesday downstream.

The only sewage spill reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia, was a 25,000 gallon spill into Hat Creek on August 2, that Ashburn, Georgia didn’t report to GA-EPD until Monday, August 10. That’s upstream of the Alapaha River.

According to the results we have, happy paddling, swimming, fishing, and boating, if you can avoid the rains.

This image is an illustration. Scroll down for the details.

[Ashburn sewage spill 2026-08-02, Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-08, but dirty Town of Alapaha, Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-08-12]
Ashburn sewage spill 2026-08-02, Clean Alapaha River 2026-08-08, but dirty Town of Alapaha, Clean Withlacoochee River 2026-08-12

Follow this link for the WWALS composite spreadsheet of water quality results, rainfall, and sewage spills in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia and Florida:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/#results

The image below is a current excerpt from that spreadsheet. Continue reading →

Sabal Trail wants a second pipeline and bigger compressor stations 2026-08-03

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Update 2026-08-25: Denial of Survey Consent, etc., Kira Pollock to FERC about Sabal Trail Expansion Project 2026-08-24.

Sabal Trail proposes to add another fracked methane pipeline alongside the one it plowed under the Withlacoochee, Suwannee, Santa Fe, and Withlacoochee (South) Rivers almost a decade ago, plus bigger compressor stations in Suwannee and Marion Counties, Florida, and elsewhere.

What “economic development” could eat such a doubling of pipeline capacity? I know of only one candidate: hyper-scale AI datacenters, powered by gas plants such as the one rumored in Mitchell County, Georgia, near the Sabal Trail pipeline.

[Sabal Trail wants a second pipeline and bigger compressor stations, 2026-08-03]
Sabal Trail wants a second pipeline and bigger compressor stations, 2026-08-03

The first person to post this letter online was apparently Jodi Brantley, today, August 14, 2026. Others confirm that multiple landowners received this letter. The gist of the letter is on Sabal Trail’s own website:

https://www.sabaltrailtransmission.com/Project

This is not the long-delayed Project Phase III, which was supposed to add 75 million cubic feet per day. That one was originally supposed to be in service May 1, 2021, but got extended until May 1, 2023, and again to May 1, 2025, and most recently to May 1, 2027.

This Sabal Trail Expansion is a new project.

The current Sabal Trail pipeline “is capable of transporting over 1 billion cubic feet per day or more of natural gas to serve local distribution companies, industrial users and natural gas-fired power generators in the Southeast markets.”

So a second pipeline could add another billion cubic feet per day.

Sabal Trail’s excuses are: Continue reading →

Another week to send in your song 2026-08-13

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Hahira, Georgia, August 13, 2026 — We have some songs, but we’d like more songwriters to play next month at the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. So everyone has another week to polish their song and send it in, by August 19, 2026.

Here’s the entry form:

https://forms.gle/fihLNVC2xbD1SXBB6

Songs must be about any river, creek, spring, sink, swamp, or pond in the Suwannee River Basin or Estuary, such as the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, or Suwannee Rivers, or Sugar Creek, Okapilco Creek, Falling Creek, etc., or the Floridan Aquifer or other underground waters.

[Another week to send in your song, Until Wednesday, August 19, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Finals Saturday, September 12, 2026]
Another week to send in your song, Until Wednesday, August 19, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Finals Saturday, September 12, 2026

WWALS Board member Scotti Jay said, “For the first time, songs can even be about the Santa Fe River or other waterbodies in that basin.”

After August 19, the organizing committee will pick Finalists, who will play September 12, 2026, as part of WWALS River Revue, at the Lowndes County 4-H Club, in Lake Park, Georgia.

“It will be a fun evening, with a sit-down dinner and drinks, two speakers, a headliner, plus a silent auction, and the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest,” said Sara Squires Jones, Chair of the organizing Committee.

Continue reading →