Chris Mericle took this picture today, 20 December 2015,
of Swift Creek entering the Suwannee River,
just east of I-75, in the Swift Creek Conservation Area,
in Hamilton County, Florida,
at
30.3460222, -82.8268667.
-jsq
Category Archives: River
FERC, EPA rubberstamp Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline: opposition continues –VDT
The FERC FEIS isn’t a permit, the Army Corps hasn’t issued a permit, GA-EPD is still considering an air quality permit for the Albany, GA air compressor, and it’s still possible to stop the GA-DNR easements for drilling under Georgia rivers including the Withlacoochee and Okapilco Creek. This is all regardless of whether FDEP issues its drilling permit for the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers. You can still help stop this invasion by the “Sinkhole Trail” of our local lands, water, and air.
Among the press recently by Politico, Law360, Natural Gas Intelligence, the Suwannee Democrat, the Ocala StarBanner, the Palm Beach Post, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Valdosta Today, and others, is this long local piece. Joe Adgie, Valdosta Daily Times, 20 December 2015, EPA reverses stand on impact pipeline would have on aquifer,
In addition, according to FERC, Sabal completed analysis of the subsurfaces where the pipeline is proposed.
That’s what FERC’s announcement of its Final Environmental Impact Statment (FEIS) said, but where is the LiDAR, as Continue reading
EPA stepped back, while opposition ramps up against Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EPA stepped back, while opposition ramps up against Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline
Hahira and Albany, Georgia, December 18, 2015— (PDF) Mysteriously contradicting a substantive October letter from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 in Atlanta, a different EPA branch last Friday sent a brief and sketchy letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers uncritically accepting what Sabal Trail’s attorney’s told it, even as multiple environmental and landowner organizations filed objections with the Corps and multiple state agencies against that invading natural gas pipeline.
Tim Carroll, Valdosta City Council member, said, “I don’t understand how EPA and FERC can say there will not be a negative impact on our environment, aquifer, streams and rivers. A number of experts testified and spoke up saying the likelihood is very high that there could be damage to the aquifer and the environment. Why would we want to allow this to happen, to run the risk of seriously degrading one of the best water resources in the world.,” Valdosta, Moultrie, and Albany, the three biggest cities along the pipeline path in Georgia, all passed resolutions against Sabal Trail, as did the counties of Terrell, Dougherty, Colquitt, Brooks, and Lowndes, in Georgia, and Hamilton and Suwannee Counties in Florida.
“The one government agency actually defending our drinking in the Floridan Aquifer and the many rivers in Georgia and Florida just stifled itself,” Continue reading
Satilla River Water Trail in Brunswick News
WWALS is pleased to see our neighbors to the east following suit
and working toward establishing a water trail like the
Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
With time, the beautiful blackwater rivers of the
coastal plains may become a paddling destination of choice for
northern paddlers looking for a pleasant and scenic place to paddle
in winter and for locals wishing to reconnect with their regional
natural heritage.
And don’t forget the logo contest for the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT), with prizes to be announced at the WLRWT workshop February 27th at VSU.
Gordon Jackson, Brunswick News, 10 Decewmber 2015, Support growing for Water trail along Satilla,
WOODBINE — Organizers believe a proposed 175-mile water trail on the Satilla River could help Southeast Georgia meet the growing demand for outdoor recreation activities.
The Satilla River Water Trail would stretch from Pierce County to Camden County, with public access points with boat launches and highway bridge crossings.
The Camden County Commission joined a long list of municipalities from Pierce, Ware, Brantley and Charlton counties to express support for creating a water trail. They hope to take advantage of the growing demand for outdoor recreation activities in the state. There are more than 1 million paddlers in Georgia, and more than $23 billion is spent Continue reading
Withlacoochee & Little River Water Trail Workshop at VSU by WWALS 2015-12-27 2016-02-27
Update 2015-02-13: Press release with revised agenda.
Update 2015-12-23: Now with silent art auction!
The visual beauty of the rivers in an art exhibit and silent auction,
the geology on display by Dennis Price,
and the remains of past people and cultures still visible along the river
by Tom Baird, plus the winners of the
logo contest for the
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail presented by VSU art professor Julie Bowland,
all in a workshop about two of our biggest WWALS rivers,
Okapilco Creek, Piscola Creek, and other associated creeks, lakes, ponds, and swamps.
Logo contest deadline now extended to January 15th, 2016!
Facebook: event
Meetup: event
What: Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail Workshop
When: 1:30 PM-4:30PM
Saturday, February 27th, 2016
Where: UC Theater
University Center
Valdosta State University
1215 N. Patterson St.
Valdosta, GA 31698
Tentative agenda: See the
Press release with revised agenda.
Continue reading The future of energy and Sabal Trail pipeline at Suwannee Cuonty Commission –Jasper News
Several Suwannee County Commissioners are studying the difficult and constantly-changing subject of energy, although the Chairman said he had already made up his mind,
Carl McKinney’s droll legend refers on his picture refers to Chris Mericle
as “Jasper man”.
The map shows sinkholes near the proposed pipeline path across the Suwannee River
and the Falmouth Cathedral Cave System.
at the Suwannee County Board of Commissioners meeting last night.
They did nothing about a further resolution against Sabal Trail,
although numerous citizens (many of them WWALS members)
from Suwannee County and nearby counties helped discuss the situation.
Carl McKinney, Suwannee Democrat, 16 December 2015, The future of energy: Debate takes over Suwannee commission meeting,
Following the Suwannee County Commission’s decision last week not to formally oppose the Sabal Trail pipeline entering its jurisdiction, the public engaged commissioners in a debate over the future of energy.
At Tuesday evening’s commission meeting, several members of the public discussed with commissioners the advantages of solar power, Florida’s energy needs and environmental stewardship.
During public comment, local resident Debra Johnson asked Continue reading
End of the Year Membership Donations to WWALS
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Yuletide Greetings!
Are you looking for a non-profit for your year end giving, or a gift
for that hard to buy for person? WWALS is a 501(c)(3) and your
donations are 100% tax deductible. I invite you to become a member
today or make an additional year end gift. Your gift helps us
achieve our mission:
/donations/
PO Box 88, Hahira, GA 31632
Organizations can donate to WWALS, too, as many have, in this very busy year of 2015 for WWALS:
Continue readingWWALS not surprised by pipeline ruling; fights on –WTXL 2015-12-14
“We see no reason to risk local citizens’ property, or taxes, or their drinking water,
or any part of the ecology for a profit for a company from some other state,” on WTXL in Florida’s state capital, Tallahassee, yesterday.
Brittany Kleinpeter, WTXL, Tallahassee, Florida, 14 December 2015, Environmental Group is Not Surprised by Judge’s Decision, Continue reading
Videos: Suwannee BOCC backs down against Sabal Trail 2015-12-10
They did
fix the two typos,
but they didn’t approve or send the letter, as you can see in
their own video.
Here’s more discussion of why they should send such a letter, and pass another resolution.
For more details, see previous blog post and Carl McKinney, Suwannee Democrat, 10 Dec 2015, County not sending pipeline opposition letter.
Regarding
Commissioner Gamble Wainwright’s comment that
“my business depends increasingly on energy”
OK, but
“energy is going to cost more and more money”,
sorry, not so.
See Continue reading
Judge ruled against WWALS in DOAH case: WWALS fights on
The judge’s ruling was disappointing, but not unexpected. He found for the Respondents Sabal Trail and FDEP on every issue, even standing. WWALS and others will fight on for the Suwannee River, for the Floridan Aquifer, and for the property rights of local citizens against this pipeline boondoggle.
Indeed, “the project would result in unavoidable temporary and permanent losses of portions of wetlands along the route.” Mitigation somewhere else, not even in the same watershed, is no excuse. Nor does such “mitigation” stop the
eminent domain takings of local Florida citizens’ lands, or the
bulldozing of a grandmother’s ashes,
for the profit of a company from Houston, Texas.
This ruling, with its rather remarkable irregularities, appears to provide additional grounds for appeal beyond those we already knew. The judge repeatedly said in the hearing, and we quoted in the WWALS Proposed Recommended Order, that activities such as boating, swimming, fishing, and scuba diving counted for standing, yet his Order only accepts Continue reading