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 →

Winners, BIG Little River Paddle Race 2017-04-29

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Adel, Georgia, June 4, 2017 — Dwight Griner of Berrien County, Georgia won for the fifth time. A dozen other boats received prizes, as a record number of people paddled in the Fifth Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race, April 29, 2017. Tifton and Tift County had the most paddlers, but the awards show more boats from Moultrie and Colquitt County. Lowndes had the second most paddlers, and there were two people each from Cook and from far-away Houston and Harris Counties, and one from Thomas County.

Dwight Griner winner closeup

This year’s BLRPR included three popular new attractions: Continue reading →

U.S. Chamber wants FERC nominees approved 2017-05-31

The key phrase is actually exactly why FERC nominees should not be approved:

“…but of increasingly vital importance, also oversees the permitting and construction of natural gas pipelines, gas storage projects, and liquefied natural gas terminals.”

Funny how the Chamber didn’t mention fracking or LNG export. We don’t need more pipelines taking people’s property and risking our water and lives for the profit of a few fossil fuel executives cashing out before their industry goes belly-up.

WWALS recommends a swift vote to deny these FERC nominees and any others who do not vow to “to develop the new energy infrastructure necessary to ensure future domestic energy security” by rapidly deploying sun and wind power with no more new pipelines. Please call your Senators or members of that Committee to recommend they get on with real renewable energy, not 20th century fossil fuel stranded assets.

U.S. Chamber letter to U.S. Senate Energy Committee

Continue reading →

Coal Ash movie and panel discussion, Live Oak, FL 2017-06-09

Come to Live Oak, Florida next Friday to see a movie and a panel discussion about Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, which was instrumental in promoting solar power in Georgia, in closing coal plants, and now in dealing with coal ash. WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman will be on the panel. Thanks to SSJSCNFWG for organizing this.

When: June 9, 2017 Doors open 6:00 pm Film starts at 7:00 pm

Where: Live Oak Woman’s Club
1308 11th Street SW, Live Oak, Fl 32064
Free Admission and Refreshments

What: An advanced screening of the new documentary film “From The Ashes” followed by a panel discussion

Organized By: Continue reading →

Videos: Suwannee Riverkeeper at Sparkleberry Florida Native Plant Society in Branford 2017-05-09

Here’s WWALS video of the WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper presentation at the Sparkleberry Chapter of Florida Native Plant Society in Branford, Florida, May 9, 2017. Acting Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman explained WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman led an animated discussion about recent advocacy with the several dozen attendees, many of whom had not heard about one or more of humic substances at the Suwannee River Sill, NFRWSP, BMAPs, Pilgrim’s Pride, coal ash, or Bill Gates’ and other recent corporate agricultural land purchases. While they all had heard of Sabal Trail, we had some updates on that, too.

Here’s the video:

Continue reading →

Sabal Trail, Withlacoochee River, Lowndes and Brooks Counties, GA 2017-05-21-22

How long until it leaks?

WARNING So if it’s not a safety problem, why does the sign say “Above All … Safe”?

Sign and bridge. Continue reading →

GA 122 @ Withlacoochee River 2017-05-17

A clearcut near the Withlacoochee River at GA 122 in Lowndes County, Georgia, led to some visual observations.

School bus westbound on Hagan Bridge over the Withlacoochee River.

The clearcut starts east of the river and west of Hambrick Road. Here you can see the entrance to it from GA 122: Continue reading →

Call U.S. Senate Energy Committee about Sabal Trail and FERC violations

Update 2017-08-03: The Senate already confirmed those two nominees. But there are more nominations to oppose and other things you can do.

Update 2017-06-15: On 6 June 2017 the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee forwarded two FERC nominees, but the full Senate has not voted on them, so you can lobby your Senators to vote no.

You can follow up after five people were arrested Thursday protesting confirmation hearings for FERC nominees in the U.S. Senate Energy Committee. The committee hasn’t made any decisions yet, so there’s still time to tell your Senator or members of that committee what FERC or its rubberstamped pipelines have done, so they can refuse to confirm any nominee who does not vow to turn FERC away from more pipelines and towards sun, wind, and a smart grid.

Photo: Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee considered the nominations of (left to right) Dan Brouillette to be deputy Energy secretary and Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to fill vacancies on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

They’re also considering a nominee for deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy, which department’s Office of Fossil Energy rubberstamped half a dozen LNG export operations in Florida. You can tell the Senators that you don’t want him, either, unless he will turn to the sun.

You can ask the Senate Energy Committee to go beyond that: it can Continue reading →

Wade Spring 2017-05-21

The ghostly remains of the spring pool in what was once a famous resort. Aaron Sirmons says the owner told him when her father bought the place in the 1960s, the spring was already destroyed. The Brooks County Manager told me somebody tried to enlarge it and destroyed it. It looks like maybe they used dynamite.

Wade Spring is actually easily visible from Blue Springs Road in Brooks County, Georgia, if you know just where to peer through the bushes. That’s at Continue reading →

WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) is Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

A healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.