Lakeland Sands LLC has bought 341.26 acres for Bill Gates
in Suwannee County, Florida, about six miles from the Suwannee River.
All seven parcels adjoin, and are located on or near the corner of 44th Street and 167th Road:
Here’s a list from the Suwannee County Property Appraiser. Interestingly, one of those parcels shows Continue reading
Help check the Alapaha River for deadfalls! Expert paddlers wanted; inquire within.
Update 2015-01-17: Some pictures and videos by John S. Quarterman and an outing summary by Bret Wagenhorst.
Meet at the Alapaha River boat ramp at the Hwy 82 bridge just east of the town of Alapaha at 09:30 AM. Boats and gear will be unloaded and some vehicles will be driven to the take out near the Gaskins Forestry Education Center south
of Alapaha to allow the shuttle. One vehicle will then bring the drivers back
to the put in and the trip will hopefully get started down river at about
10:00-10:15. Facebook event.
This event is FREE! All we ask is that you are a current member of WWALS Watershed Coalition. If not, its easy to join online today at /donations/. You do not have to be a member to come on this outing. If you like the experience, we recommend that you join to support the efforts of WWALS.
The trip may take 4 hours, but it may shorter or longer depending Continue reading
Bill Gates isn’t the only west coast investor buying up north Florida farmland.
Grimmway Enterprises, Inc. of Bakersfield, CA
bought 1358.44 acres in Madison County, FL,
all on 18 April 2014,
on both sides of SE Farm Road between Lee and the Withlacoochee River.
Grimmway’s website says they grow carrots.
It doesn’t say whether they have any financial relationship with Continue reading
More than 1,000 acres through September 2014, in parcels already adding up to more than 250 acres, or in contiguous or nearby parcels that can be combined, all bought by Lakeland Sands LLC.
On SE Farm Road and FL 63, between Madison and Lee, 30.423520, -83.353757,
parcels 01-1S-09-0843-000-000 (374 acres),
06-1S-10-1192-000-000 (568.35 acres),
05-1S-10-1187-000-000 (363.161 acres),
07-1S-10-1197-000-000 (316.13 acres),
08-1S-10-1199-000-000 (259 acres)
12-1S-09-0892-001-000 (67.27 acres)
12-1S-09-0893-000-000 (224.68 acres),
and
11-1S-09-0884-000-000 (162.93 acres),
for
2335.52 acres
total in just those eight parcels.
All eight marked as timberland: we’ll see how long that lasts.
Plus 12-1S-09-0892-002-0A2 (39.12 acres) of pastureland in between.
These parcels surround a couple of City of Madison parcels Continue reading
Nice to look at, but not for driving. Chris Mericle reports:
Here are some photos of an old bridge across the Alapahoochee River that Deanna and I came across while out exploring the other day.
Driving or even walking across this bridge probably shouldn’t be recommended. Continue reading
The east side of Lake Park and east of Naylor:
acreage bought by a shell of a shell of a shell of Bill Gates’ investment company in the past two years.
170.57 acres in Parcel 0224 003 just east of Lake Park, plus another 126 acres in adjoining parcels inside and outside of Lake Park, which is most of the blue acreage on this map, all in the Alapahoochee River watershed, owned by Lakeland Sands according to the Lowndes County Tax Assessors database. Continue reading
Drilling under the Withlacoochee River could have catastrophic effects, a landowner near the Withlacoochee River in Hamilton County, Florida reminds us. Chris Mericle is also a WWALS board member.
Intervenor is a resident of Hamilton County, Florida and lives near the Proposed Sabal Trail Route where it crosses the Withlacoochee River. As such, I am concerned about the adverse and potentially catastrophic effects that the construction and operation of a 36” diameter gas pipeline will have on Fresh Water Resources including Springs and the Floridan Aquifer.
Here’s how you or your organization can file a motion to intervene.
Filed with FERC 22 December 2014 as Accession Number: 20141222-5037, “Motion to Intervene of Christopher J Mericle under CP15-17, et. al.” Continue reading
Last in before FERC closed 5PM Wednesday for the holidays was local geologist Don Thieme, commenting about our Withlacoochee River and the fragile karst limestone that underlies it, among other concerns. It’s likely that FERC will continue accepting comments and motions to intervene after yesterday’s deadline.
Filed with FERC 24 December 2014 as Accession Number: 20141224-5109 “Comment of Donald M. Thieme in Docket(s)/Project(s) CP15-17-000 Submission Date: 12/24/2014”,
Donald M. Thieme, Valdosta, GA.
As a local resident and head of household in Lowndes County, I have
concerns about the rights of landowners to continue agriculture and other economically productive uses which may be incompatible with the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline. I have also heard many concerns voiced regarding loss of property value, particularly where new pipe may be laid on land which presently has no existing line. As a professional geologist, however, Continue reading
This legal action should reserve the right of WWALS to participate
in legal hearings, file briefs on legal actions by others, or even
to bring legal action.
In addition to all the county and city resolutions listed here,
Hamilton County, Florida also just moved to intervene.
Filed with FERC 16 December 2014 as Accession Number: 20141216-5051, “Motion to intervene and request for extension of filing deadline, by WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. under CP15-17.” Continue reading
Tonight at 5:30 PM
the Valdosta City Council will vote on
a resolution against the Sabal Trail pipeline
they discussed Tuesday at their Work Session.
Valdosta added a clause about the
Floridan Aquifer
to the clauses already in the
resolution Lowndes County passed Tuesday evening
that Valdosta is supporting.
Valdosta’s
aquifer clause reads:
As VSU Prof. Don Thieme remarked yesterday, Continue readingWHEREAS, the City of Valdosta has concerns regarding any potential effect the proposed pipeline or its construction might have on the Floridan aquifer, the primary source of the drinking water supply for our City, County and the south Georgia area; and