Category Archives: Quantity

Sabal Trail pipeline challenged by recommended order, plus Suwannee County resolution tonight

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sabal Trail pipeline challenged by recommended order, plus Suwannee County resolution tonight

Jasper, Florida, November 17, 2015 — The day after WWALS filed its Proposed Recommended Order (PRO) in WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FDEP saying FDEP didn’t do proper due diligence on what Sabal Trail’s application, especially for the Outstanding Florida Waters of the Suwannee River and the Santa Fe River, the Suwannee County Commission is considering tonight a resolution against Sabal Trail’s proposed Hildreth Compressor Station.

Suwannee County resident Debra Johnson remarked,

“How about nowhere in our county. It’s like who wants this dangerous compressor station in Suwannee County ANYWHERE?”

David Shields testified at the hearing in Jasper that he had purchased land in Suwannee County because: Continue reading →

WWALS moves to enter EPA letter to FERC into evidence in Florida case

Everyone from the Atlanta Journal-Constition to the Palm Beach Post to the Ocala StarBanner Comes now, Petitioner... and moves.... considers the EPA letter to FERC to be of great significance. WWALS agrees, and has filed a motion to ask the judge to take notice in WWALS v. Sabal Trail & DEP.

§ 373.414 Florida Statutes, begins:

(1) As part of an applicant’s demonstration that an activity regulated under this part will not be harmful to the water resources or will not be inconsistent with the overall objectives of the district, the governing board or the department shall require the applicant to provide reasonable assurance that state water quality standards applicable to waters as defined in s. 403.031(13) will not be violated and reasonable assurance that such activity in, on, or over surface waters or wetlands, as delineated in s. 373.421(1), is not contrary to the public interest. However, if such an activity significantly degrades or is within an Outstanding Florida Water, as provided by department rule, the applicant must provide reasonable assurance that the proposed activity will be clearly in the public interest.

Not just “not contrary to the public interest”. For an Outstanding Florida Water applicant (Sabal Trail) “must provide reasonable assurance that the proposed activity will be clearly in the public interest.” The Suwannee River is an Outstanding Florida Water. And the EPA letter is pretty good evidence that Sabal Trail did not provide such reasonable assurance.

Filed October 30, 2015 4:43 PM Division of Administrative Hearings (also PDF on WWALS website): Continue reading →

E-comment to FERC ASAP, especially experts

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson says: “Please consider saying something and be counted.” Here’s How to send an ecomment to FERC.

You can ecomment today on FERC docket number CP15-17 against the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline invading Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

Until December 11, 2015 you can also send comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers against Sabal Trail’s use of rivers and wetlands. You can do this for any of Florida, Georgia, or Alabama.

In Georgia, you can send comments to Continue reading →

The ant with two attorneys: WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FDEP Monday 2015-10-20

The ant continues against the dinosaur this morning!

John S. Quarterman, William R. Wohlsifer, Leighanne Boone, Judge Bram D.E. Canter, court reporter, Timothy Riley (Sabal Trail), other respondent attorneys When: 10 AM Tuesday 20 October 2015

Where: Hamilton County Board of Commissioners Chambers,
207 NE First Street
Jasper, Florida 32052

What: WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FDEP
Defending the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers, the Floridan Aquifer, the Florida Springs Heartland, and our water, land, and air against the invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline

Remember: Continue reading →

Gas pipeline route called ‘insanity’ –Jasper News 2015-10-08

No minced words on the front page of Hamilton County, Florida’s daily newspaper: “Insanity”! Front page The online title was more sedate, but the story accurately recorded some of the polite outrage of the citizens who spoke to FERC against the invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline. Among them were at least five WWALS members and many members of Our Santa Fe River.

Amber Vann, Suwannee Democrat, 7 October 2015, Locals speak out against gas pipeline,

One man, Rocky Stewart, explained Continue reading →

Sinkholes, toxins, and terrorism are not insignificant: WWALS members to FERC in Valdosta 2015-09-30

The Valdosta newspaper wrote about two, and two more WWALS members also spoke to FERC in Valdosta last Wednesday.

Joe Adgie, Valdosta Daily Times, 2 October 2015, REgulators hear from Valdosta about Sabal Trail,

Deborah Johnson of Suwannee County, Fla., spoke of the safety record of Spectra Energy, the parent company of Sabal Trail.

“Spectra Energy has what is considered one of the worst Continue reading →

Three FERC Sabal Trail meetings in WWALS territory: Moultrie, Valdosta, Lake City, Sept. 29,30, Oct 1 2015

After Albany on Monday, the Moultrie, Valdosta, and Lake City FERC Sabal Trail hearings are all in WWALS territory, and Sabal Trail’s fracked methane pipeline would cross WWALS’ Okapilco Creek near Moultrie, Withlacoochee River near Valdosta, and Suwannee River near Jasper. The Georgia DNR board Wednesday gave away easements under those streams to Sabal Trail, but they’re not permanent until at least two more state approval steps, and they mean nothing if the pipeline is cancelled.

The FERC meetings are all 5:30 PM speaker signup, 6 PM FERC presentation, then 3 minutes each per audience speaker, ending 8 PM.

  • Monday, September 28, 2015, at Albany Civic Center, Meeting Room, West Oglethorpe, Albany, GA 31701
  • * Tuesday, September 29, 2015, at Colquitt County High School, Withers Auditorium, 1800 Park Avenue SE, Moultrie, GA 31776
  • * Wednesday, September 30, at Holiday Inn Valdosta, Conference Center Magnolia Ballroom, 1805 West Hill Ave., Valdosta, GA 31601.
  • * Thursday, October 1, at Columbia High School Auditorium, 469 SE Fighting Tiger Drive, Lake City, FL 32025

* Marks meetings in WWALS territory.

Why is the first Florida meeting in Lake City, when Sabal Trail does not propose to go through Columbia County? 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 →

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 →

WWALS petition against Sabal Trail dismissed by FL-DEP on technicality, not real issues

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WWALS petition against Sabal Trail dismissed by FL-DEP on technicality, not real issues

2015-09-04: New DEP message, new press release.

September 3rd, 2015, Jasper, Florida — Despite the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FL-DEP)’s Order of yesterday dismissing WWALS’ amended petition with prejudice on a technicality, including an attempt to deny FL-DEP’s responsibilities to the citizens of Florida, WWALS and WWALS-FL continue to point out the obvious: Spectra Energy’s proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline is not in the public interest, would interfere with property rights far beyond the crossing of the Suwannee River, would not maintain natural conditions, and could have severe adverse effects on fish, wildlife, public recreation, and navigation, especially if it blew up like a Spectra Energy pipeline did in May under the Arkansas River.

Hamilton County, FL resident Deanna Mericle, who wrote much of the WWALS amended petition that was dismissed, responds,

“DEP is doing a disservice to the citizens of Hamilton and Suwannee Counties by not hearing the legitimate argument and hiding behind a questionable technicality. I am sorely disappointed but not surprised.”

Yesterday WWALS received Continue reading →