Last Call to E-Comment to FERC about DEIS 2015-10-26

Speak up today and be heard by FERC and the whole world watching!

Update 4:30 PM 26 Oct 2015: I called FERC and was told e-comments or e-filings any time today or even tomorrow will be fine. Paper mail postmarked today will be fine. I was told they’re more interested in getting the comments than in exactly when they’re sent. But don’t wait very long.

Here’s how to e-comment.

Simple is good: “I love the Withlacoochee River (or the Suwannee River, or Okapilco Creek, or….) and I don’t want a huge pipeline drilled under it.”

Or: “We’ve got enough sinkholes without risking more with a pipeline that doesn’t even benefit us.”

Just write what you mean and send it in.

If you want inspiration, here’s what many other people have said.

But don’t get hung up on trying to review all the background: just say what you mean. Say it today!

-jsq

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

Videos: WWALS witnesses in Day 2, WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FDEP 2015-10-20

Dennis Price cross-examination DEP’s only witness yesterday, today also a witness for WWALS, couldn’t find a document she needed in the Respondents’ cartload (literally) of documents, not even with the help of five Respondent attorneys, yet everyone could find items in the two WWALS exhibit books quite readily.

We also learned that concerns were irrelevant, only actual effects on WWALS members count, which made it too difficult for Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson to get qualified as an expert witness, even though she has assisted DEP and SRWMD in environmental issues. And we couldn’t talk about air quality issues, since DEP already issued an air quality permit for the Sabal Trail Hildreth compressor station in Suwannee County, so what David Shields could talk about was very limited, even though he and his family with their organic farm live downwind of that compressor station. However, WWALS expert witness Dennis Price hit geological questions out of the ballpark. And a cow did fall into a sinkhole.

Here are WWALS videos of each witness, followed by a video playlist. See also much more about this case, including videos of the other two days, and how you can help WWALS defend our members, the Suwannee River, and the Floridan Aquifer.

Albany Public Hearing, Sabal Trail Compressor Air Quality Permit –GA-EPD 2015-11-05

At Albany Technical College, 6:30 PM 5 November 2015. Here’s the GA-EPD Press Release, with links to the Public Notice, a Narrative, and the Draft Air Quality Permit. Continue reading →

Videos: Sabal Trail’s case in WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FDEP 2015-10-19

Surprise WWALS attorneys and mounds of Sabal Trail and FDEP documents, yet missing documents, overlooked gopher tortoises, and springs that apparently none of the respondents went to see, all in these WWALS videos of the first day of the case WWALS brought to defend its members, the Suwannee River, and the Floridan Aquifer against the invading Sabal Trail pipeline and the Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) and Easement to Use Sovereign Submerged Lands (Easement) the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) intends to issue to Sabal Trail.

Petitioner WWALS presented a surprise: two attorneys. Respondents Sabal Trail and FDEP presented a mound of documents. That was all in preliminary matters.

Then Sabal Trail presented its prima facie case, through its witnesses David Shammo and David Dickson.

Per previous agreement among the parties, WWALS presented out of order two witnesses, Tom Edwards and Joe “Britt” McClung.

Then Sabal Trail continued with witness Jim Ambrosino

Towards the end of the day, FDEP’s sole witness Lisa Prather testified.

Here’s a link to much more information including vidoes of the other two days of the hearing, and how you can continue to contribute to the IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign for legal expenses (there will almost certainly be an appeal) or join WWALS.

Below are WWALS videos of Day 1, followed by a video playlist.

Withlacoochee, Suwannee, Grand Bay! WWALS Outings Coming Up

Tired of tedious hearings? Want to get outdoors? Come paddle with WWALS on our rivers and walk in our swamps!

These outings are Free! But we encourage you to join WWALS today to support our fun outings and important work: /donations/. See our newsletters, and the press Releases and news. And consider joining the new Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail Committee.

-jsq

The ant testifies against the dinosaur: WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FDEP continues 2015-10-21

It’s hard to qualify as an expert, but WWALS members count, too, Chris Mericle testifying as we defend the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers and the Floridan Aquifer against the Sabal Trail pipeline invader. Continuing this morning at 10AM in Jasper, Florida!

When: 10 AM Wednesday 21 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 River and our water, land, and air against the invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline 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 →

The ant against the dinosaur: WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FDEP Monday 2015-10-19

And WWALS has two attorneys now! You can still help pay their fees.

Chris Curry, Gainesville Sun, 16 October 2015, Challenge to 515­mile, six­county pipeline starts Monday,

John S. Quarterman, the president of WWALS, said the group will argue that Sabal Trail and DEP failed to demonstrate that the project is in the public interest and won’t harm the environment, including the aquifer and springs. Taking on heavyhitting attorneys in court is an uphill battle, he acknowledged.

“It’s the ant against the dinosaur,” Quarterman said.

Actually, Continue reading →