Improved Sheboggy Ramp, Alapaha River @ US 82

Here’s a pleasant surprise! The access road has been smoothed out and Sheboggy Ramp itself has been re-concreted. Thanks to Ben Warren, Berrien County Roads Superintendent, for doing the work.

Ramp with new concrete

[Ramp with new concrete]
Ramp with new concrete

Thanks to Bret Wagenhorst for these pictures, Continue reading

Sabal Trail in-service: keep watching them 2017-06-14

There are still many things you can do, from permit violations to FERC reform, after FPL gloated yesterday about starting the gas through Transco, Sabal Trail, and FSC. Pipelines leak, and another pipeline’s go-ahead just got slapped down by a federal court, plus we need to change the whole legal game. Meanwhile, continuing the rocketing rise of solar power in the Sunshine State and everywhere else is the best way to pry the clammy grip of the fossil fuel industry off our political system.

FSC spill
Photo: Mitch Allen

Susan Salisbury, Palm Beach Post, 14 June 2017, Sabal Trail, Florida SE Connection are now piping fuel to FPL,

“The start of Florida Southeast Connection and Sabal Trail Transmission natural gas pipeline operations is an important milestone for FPL customers and Florida’s economy,” FPL president and CEO Eric Silagy said.

It may indeed be a milestone of the last pipeline ever built into Florida or through Georgia.

It may even be a milestone of Continue reading

Banks Lake Full Moon Paddle 2017-07-08

Bring bon-bons, lights, and boats to paddle the moonlit mysteries of our own mini-Okefenokee: Banks Lake, as the sun sets between Lakeland, GA and I-75.

300x225 Moonrise with lights, in Banks Lake Full Moon, by John S. Quarterman, 13 June 2014 Bring something somewhat more substantial and we will have a brief pot-luck at the gazebo before paddling. No cooking at the site.

When: 8PM Saturday, July 8, 2017

Where: Banks Lake Boat Ramp,
1099 W Main St. (GA 122), Lakeland, GA 31635.
Or: 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, Lanier County

GPS: 31.03492, -83.09619

Event: facebook, meetup.

Duration: Continue reading

Pictures from coal movie and panel, Live Oak, FL 2017-06-09

Reporting from the event, Jim Tatum, OSFR, 10 June 2017, “From The Ashes” Screening by Suwannee St Johns Sierra Club North Florida Working Group,

The North Florida Working Group of the Suwannee St Johns Sierra Club presented an early screening of the documentary “From the Ashes” at the Live Oak Woman’s Club on June 9, 2017….


Susanna Rudolph, Joy Ezell, and Gretchen Quarterman, panelists; Photo: Jim Tatum, OSFR

After the showing Deanna Mericle lead a panel composed of Susanna Randolph, Campaign Senior Representative for Beyond Coal, Sierra Club from Orlando, Joy Ezell, active environmentalist and founder of Help Our Polluted Environment (HOPE) from Perry, and Gretchen Quarterman, Board member and treasurer of WWALS Watershed Coalition, Hahira, Georgia.

Follow the link for more pictures and text.

See also Continue reading

He Tang, Xiang Riverkeeper, Hunan Province

Panel: Strategies for public participation & Outreach, Waterkeeper Conference, Park City, Utah, 2017-06-10


gesturing, left: translator; watching, right: the presenter, whose name I don’t think I got right but he’s from Hunan.

All the attendees helped come up with and organize ideas.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

Same day FERC lets Sabal Trail turn on gas, Waterkeeper Alliance passes resolution to oppose FERC 2017-06-09

FOR IMMEDIATE-RELEASE

Salt Lake City, Utah, May June 9, 2017 — Friday morning, FERC staff granted Sabal Trail’s request to turn on the gas, saying it trusted the pipeline company to handle remaining landowner issues and “punch-list” items, despite objections from WWALS, Sierra Club, Flint Riverkeeper, and many others. Before noon, the worldwide Waterkeeper Alliance passed a resolution to join the effort to reform FERC; a resolution written by WWALS and Flint Riverkeeper.

All in favor raise your hand

Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers made the motion and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman seconded; they also wrote the resolution.

Quarterman explained:

“While the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is a U.S. agency, its actions affect the whole world, because much of the gas in the interstate natural gas pipelines FERC rubberstamps is for export.

“Even with Sabal Trail, the fight is not over. The case brought against FERC by Continue reading

Florida on front lines against Sabal Trail –Truthout 2017-06-08

Includes details of a demonstration tomorrow morning organized by Sabal Trail Resistance.

Alexis Bonogofsky, Truthout, 8 June 2017, “This State Is on the Front Lines”: Floridians Mobilize Against Sabal Trail Natural Gas Pipeline,

Pete Ackerman, 66, and Kaithleen Hernandez, 21, sit together in a small house in Dunnellon, Florida, with maps and documents splayed out on the walls and the tables around them. They are planning a demonstration for June 9, 2017, which will take place at a large industrial gas compression facility called the Central Florida Hub Compression Station, in Davenport, Florida, 100 miles south of Dunnellon. Ackerman rented the house to serve as an “action center” for those organizing against the large natural gas pipelines being constructed through the southeast United States. They call it the Water is Life House.


Sabal Trail Reunion Compressor Station
Photo: Mark Skogman for WWALS on Southwings flight, 2 February 2017

“The location of the demonstration on Friday is symbolic,” Hernandez tells Truthout. “It’s where the Sabal Trail pipeline hooks into the Florida Southeast Connection pipeline. It’s where they are going to turn the gas on. This compression station is the biggest one along the route. You can hear it for miles away.”

When: 10AM – 4PM, Friday, June 9, 2017

Where: 6525 Osceola Polk Line Rd, Davenport, FL 33896-9315

Event: facebook, hosted by Sabal Trail Resistance (STR)

Later in the article:

John Quarterman, head of the WWALS Watershed Coalition Continue reading

WWALS adds evidence, again asks FERC to stay Sabal Trail, revoke its permit, plus do a SEIS 2017-06-05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 5, 2017, Hahira, GA — Citing the sea change of solar power overtaking natural gas in new U.S. electricity last year, and generational damage to the fields of farmers such as Randy Dowdy, WWALS Watershed Coalition today filed more evidence and reasons to stop the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline from going into service and to revoke its permit. WWALS filed the same Monday that Sabal Trail Friday asked FERC to authorize turning on the gas. Plus WWALS explicitly requested FERC do a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to take into account LNG export from Sabal Trail, copious environmental permit violations, and especially new scientific evidence about the Floridan Aquifer.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said: “Such irreparable harm outweighs a few billion dollars spent in error by a few companies.”


And that’s without even getting into risks to education, such as Sabal Trail only a mile from Clyattville Elementary School.

WWALS filed the document today with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The WWALS cover letter is included below in this message, and the FERC filing is available online.

WWALS wrote in Attachment 1:

“Solar power has actually more than doubled every two years since 2013. Yet FERC only counts utility-scale solar power. Adding rooftop and community solar panels, already a sea change has occurred.

Continue reading

Suwannee-Satilla RWPC meeting, Fitzgerald, GA 2017-06-05

NOTICE:
SUWANNEE-SATILLA
REGIONAL WATER PLANNING COUNCIL MEETING

Announcement Date: May 8, 2017

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND PARTIES:

The Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting for the
Review and Revision of the Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Plan
at the following date, time, and location:

Monday, June 5, 2017
Registration: 10:00 A.M. – 10:30 A.M.
Meeting: 10:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

Fitzgerald-Ben Hill
Chamber of Commerce
121 E. Pine Street
Fitzgerald, GA 31750

For additional information about the Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Planning Council, please contact: Cliff Lewis, Georgia EPD Watershed Protection Branch, (229) 391-2410 or cliff.lewis@dnr.ga.gov

Here is the agenda: Continue reading