Category Archives: Pipeline

WWALS cites dangers to environment and conflict of interest against Sabal Trail –Miami Herald via Florida Bulldog

A major Miami newspaper picked up a Florida Bulldog story after a week. Meanwhile, CBS Miami covered FL-DEP asking for an administrative law judge. And see previous post for what’s safer than any pipeline: solar power, ready now for the Sunshine State.

Dan Christensen, Miami Herald, 6 September 2015, Pipeline foes ask DEP to deny key permit, cite ‘conflict of interest’ by Gov. Rick Scott,

Opponents of a proposed natural gas pipeline in North Florida are asking Florida regulators to reject the project, citing both dangers to the environment and a “conflict of interest” by the regulators’ boss, Gov. Rick Scott.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced in July its intention to award a crucial environmental permit and rights to drill beneath riverbeds that would allow Houston-based Spectra Energy to construct the controversial, $3 billion Sabal Trail Transmission.

State records show Spectra Energy’s investors have included Scott.

Continue reading →

Pipeline dispute to judge for WWALS v Sabal Trail –CBS Miami

New news venues are covering WWALS v. Sabal Trail.

CBS Miami, 4 September 2015, Judge To Consider Florida Pipeline Permit Dispute,

A judge is set to consider an environmental group’s efforts to block construction of a pipeline mean to transport gas into Florida from Alabama.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protectionin July gave notice that it plans to issue a key permit for the Sabal Trail pipeline, which is planned, at least in part, to help deliver natural gas to power plants operated by Florida Power & Light and Duke Energy Florida.

A Georgia-based environmental group, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., has fought the permit, pointing to potential impacts of the pipeline on North Florida waterways.

The group last month added an affiliated organization, WWALS Watershed Coalition Florida, Inc., to the case, though Continue reading →

Florida state regulators grant hearing at unknown data for WWALS v. Sabal Trail –Palm Beach Post

You’ve mostly been hearing about WWALS v. Sabal Trail lately because of all the news coverage related to the petition to FL-DEP, which is great. STA. 13083+00 TO STA. 13136+00, GA-FL Line, Hamilton Co., FL, Jumping Gulley Creek But of course WWALS does a lot more than that and WWALS has been around before anybody ever heard of Sabal Trail.

Susan Salisbury, Palm Beach Post, 4 September 2015, State regulators grant hearing to anti-pipeline group,

WWALS Watershed coalition and WWALS-Florida which advocate for conservation of Suwannee River and other rivers in south Georgia and North Florida believe the proposed pipeline is not in the public interest and could have severe adverse effects on fish, wildlife, public recreation and navigation.

The pipeline would also go through the fragile karst limestone containing Continue reading →

WWALS to get hearing against Sabal Trail after all –Gainesville Sun

WWALS is about environmental issues such as those FL-DEP said could proceed. However, environmental issues extend far beyond FL-DEP’s narrow view. A pipeline sinkhole could affect springs or wells miles away, and that could affect property values, insurance rates, and of course eco-tourism. Tourism brings in $67 billion a year to Florida. Why would any Florida state agency want to risk that for a pipeline when the Sunshine State can go straight to solar power?

Christopher Curry, Gainesville Sun, 4 September 2015, Part of Sabal Trail challenge will proceed, Continue reading →

FL-DEP grants hearing to WWALS against Sabal Trail pipeline under Suwannee River

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FL-DEP grants hearing to WWALS against Sabal Trail pipeline under Suwannee River

September 4nd, 2015, Jasper, Florida — Yesterday the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FL-DEP) asked for an administrative law judge (ALJ) “to conduct all necessary proceedings required by law and to submit a recommended order to the Department”. Certifiate of Service FL-DEP apparently interprets its Order of the previous day as dismissing only the petition of WWALS-FL, a Florida nonprofit corporation, and not that of the parent corporation, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS). So it seems WWALS gets a hearing after all.

WWALS president John S. Quarterman remarked:

“Everyone told us we’d never get a hearing, so apparently we interpreted the previous day’s FL-DEP dismissal too broadly. But sometimes if you try, you succeed. And WWALS continues to try to stop the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail pipeline.”

And it seems FL-DEP is reading the news about this case, because Continue reading →

WWALS to get hearing with FL-DEP about Sabal Trail –Palm Beach Post

FL-DEP is reading the news about the WWALS petition, we know because DEP sent a copy of yesterday’s FL-DEP request for an administrative law judge directly to the Palm Beach Post. The Post had already published a story saying the WWALS petition had been dismissed, and changed it to say WWALS has been granted a hearing. (See also WWALS press release.)

Susan Salisbury, Palm Beach Post, 3 September 2015, Florida DEP says anti-pipeline group’s case to be heard,

A conservation group seeking to stop the proposed 465-mile Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline from boring under the iconic Suwannee River has now been granted its request for a hearing.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection said late Thursday Continue reading →

FL-DEP requests administrative law judge for WWALS petition against Sabal Trail

WWALS received this notice 3:32 PM Thursday 3 September 2015 (5 Mbyte PDF). It’s 88 pages with the attachments; follow the added links for them. See also WWALS press release.

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

-jsq

Request for assignment of Administrative Law Judge and Notice of preservation of record STATE OF FLORIDA
DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS






OGC CASE NO.: 15-0468

WWALS WATERSHED COALITION, INC.,

   Petitioner,

vs.

SABAL TRAIL TRANSMISSION, LLC and
STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,

   Respondents.

REQUEST FOR ASSIGNMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE
AND NOTICE OF PRESERVATION OF RECORD

Continue reading →

WWALS petition against Sabal Trail dismissed on technicality –Gainesville Times

And it turns out that technicality may actually be in WWALS’ favor; stay tuned.

Drawing on the WWALS PR of 3 Sep 2015 and adding detail, Christopher Curry, Gainesville Sun and Ocala StarBanner, 3 September 2015, DEP again rejects Georgia group’s challenge to Sabal Trail pipeline,

In a statement sent out Thursday, WWALS alleged that the DEP ignored legitimate environmental concerns to dismiss the challenge on a “technicality.”

“WWALS and WWALS-FL continue to point out the obvious: Continue reading →

WWALS amended petition denied by FL-DEP –WCTV

WCTV published the news of Wednesday, but stay tuned; more is coming.

Winnie Wright, WCTV, 3 September 2015, Pipeline Opposition Group Denied Appeal By FL-DEP,

The Florida DEP told the WWALS Watershed coalition it would have to amend its appeal in order for it to be considered.

However, according to the organization, their appeal to block the Sabal Trail Pipeline from being built in Florida was denied.

-jsq

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Sabal Trail could affect Green Swamp –Daily Commercial on WWALS petition to FL-DEP

A Sumter County paper adds some local details of the possible ill effects of the Sabal Trail pipeline on the Green Swamp and other waterways, drawing its main story about the WWALS petition to FL-DEP from the Gainesville Sun article. And see further developments.

Scott Callahan and Christopher Curry Halifax Media Group, Daily Commercial, 2 September 2015, Proposed natural gas pipeline draws petition,

In Lake County, the pipeline will cross wetlands and possibly impact the Green Swamp and flows of the Little and Big Creeks, according to the Lake County Water Authority.

“The flows from these two creeks are vital Continue reading →