Standing on their previous resolution against the Hildreth compressor station, SBOCC decided to vote next time on a much stronger resolution to keep the pipeline completely out of Suwannee County. Will Sabal Trail show up for that meeting, 15 December 2015, like Andrea Grover told Carl McKinney of the Suwannee Democrat they would if they had advance notice? I suggest all interested parties come to tha meeting to see, not to mention to counter any “information” Sabal Trail may supply.

Here is SBOCC’s own video of that meeting, in which you can see Commissioner Larry Sessions raise the issue:

I’d like to discuss one thing. Last meeting we discussed at length the Sabal Trail issues, possibly coming through our county and crossing the river a couple times.

I’d like to propose that staff make up a letter or a proposal to restrict the pipeline or maybe have the pipeline avoid all karst areas and wetlands coming through our county. We’re trying to avoid this pipeline coming through the county, to protect the aquifer and to protect the river.

So, not exactly again all the wording right, but I think it’s somethingg we need to pay attention to and take care of, because I believe we still have time to curtail this issue coning down through our state.

Chairman Jason Bashaw discussed clarification with Sessions that this is to have a resolution ready for voting at their next regular meeting. And they both clarified the main intent:

Sessions: …to avoid the pipeline from coming through our county.

Bashaw: Avoid the county entirely.

The audience applauded.

Chairman asked, “Does anybody have any heartburn with that?” Not only did no Commissioner have any heartburn, Commissioner Ricky Gamble asked for the previous resolution to be forwarded not only to FERC (already done) but also to the Army Corps of Engineers. The Chairman said they would do that.

WWALS member Debra Johnson stood up later to compiiment the board on their opposition to the river crossings, and to talk about opposing the pro-fracking bills in the state legislature, HB-191 and SB-318. The Florida Association of Counties opposes these bills, and numerous Florida counties have passed resolutions against fracking.

Chairman Bashaw said later he had talked to the sponsors of the bills, objecting to the parts about repealing home rule by counties, and had received assurance that that part would be pulled.

WWALS is a member of Floridians Against Fracking. Fracking drives pipelines, and wouldn’t it be convenient for those who want to frack Florida if there was a pipeline already in place? Oppose either new pipelines or fracking and oppose both.

Looking forward to December 15th.

Meanwhile, don’t forget to comment to the Army Corps of Engineers by December 11th.

-jsq

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