Tag Archives: Aquifer

Hamilton County, FL unanimously asks Army Corps for on-site independent study of Sabal Trail

Thanks to the Hamilton Board of County Commissioners for standing up for its people, Hamilton BOCC deliberating and for all those affected by the invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline.

Debra Johnson, SpectraBusters, 15 March 2016, Hamilton County takes exception with Sabal Trail,

Tonight, Tuesday March 15, 2016, Hamilton County unanimously voted to request that the Army Corps of Engineers perform an independent study on site concerning the ommisions and discrepancies contained in the final environmental study that FERC and Florida DEP used to issue the[ir] permit[s] for the Sabal Trail pipeline.

These ommisions in the EIS were discovered by Mr Chris Mericle when Continue reading →

Thanks to Hamilton BOCC and all are watching tonight’s action against Sabal Trail 2016-03-15

Here’s what I just sent Hamilton County Commissioners before their meeting tonight, 6PM Tuesday 15 March 2016, Room 112 Courthouse, 207 Northeast First Street, Jasper, Florida (PDF):

100 Florida p. 1: sun, wind, and water mix, jobs, efficiency Re: Thanks for your efforts against the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous Sabal Trail pipeline

Dear Commissioners,

Thank you for your Resolution 2015-2 of March 3rd 2015 to support SB-166 and HB-169 to ban Fracking in the State of Florida. As you know, a bill in the Florida legislature that would have prohibited counties from banning fracking was defeated recently. But beware: Calhoun County, FL may see the Cholla Petroleum Company begin seismic testing any day now. And there is a shale gas basin underneath Hamilton County. http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=12546

Thank you for protecting our Withlacoochee River and the Floridan Aquifer with Continue reading →

Urge your GA House member to oppose SR 954: strip Sabal Trail easements

Update 2016-03-17: Your calls are working! Please keep calling: details.

You can help stop Georgia eminent domain easements for Sabal Trail from passing the statehouse! (PDF handout)


Photo: TONY CASSADY, 31 May 2015, in Arkansas River pipeline blowout occurred on Sunday morning, cause still unknown, by Benjamin Hardy, Arkansas Blog, 3 June 2015

Sabal Trail (a project of Houston-based Spectra Energy) is a methane frack-gas pipeline that would run from east central Alabama to south-central Florida. Multiple route choices exist. The company has chosen one, despite massive amounts of public objection, that maximizes the public and private impact. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has granted a permit for the particular one the company wants, one which that places a large number of Georgian’s private property under threat of (federal) eminent domain, for private profit. The FERC permit process is under appeal by property owners and advocacy groups. The pipeline still does not have several major state and federal permits (water quality, air, and wetlands).

Yet the Deal Administration seeks Continue reading →

Geological determinations about Sabal Trail and Suwannee River by Dennis Price P.G.

Sinkholes, springs, and caves abound where Spectra Energy wants to gouge its yard-wide Sabal Trail pipeline Figure 1. Location Map of Sabal Trail Pipeline through the heart of the Florida Springs Heartland, wrote a Practicing Geologist WWALS member to FERC, following up on his testimony in WWALS v Sabal Trail & FDEP.

Here is the text of the report by Dennis Price, followed by the images (PDF in FERC accession number 20151027-5034), all about the same area where WWALS board member Chris Mericle recently guided Hamilton and Suwannee County Commissioners to see for themselves. -jsq

Continue reading →

Floridians Against Fracking defeats pro-fracking bill

Thanks to the indefatigable Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson of Our Santa Fe River and all the Floridians Against Fracking (WWALS is a member) who stopped this bogus bill.

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson This was national and international news. But this from Florida: Margie Menzel, Palm Beach Post, 1 March 2016, Senator withdraws bill to permit, regulate fracking in Florida,

TALLAHASSEE — The Senate sponsor of a controversial bill about the regulation of “fracking” in Florida withdrew it from consideration Tuesday, saying he didn’t have the votes to get through a key committee.

Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee that the opposition of environmentalists played a key role in thwarting the measure (SB 318).

“Emotions tend to magnify the controversy,” he said.

Well, yeah, people do tend to get emotional about their drinking water, their Continue reading →

Videos: Hike to Sabal Trail route across Suwannee River with Suwannee and Hamilton County Commissioners 2016-02-18

Here are WWALS videos of Chris Mericle (WWALS board member) explaining the sinkholes in the path of the proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane crossing of the Suwannee River under Suwannee River State Park. Commissioners and staff from Suwannee and Hamilton Counties attended, along with many other interested parties. Both Commissions have regular meetings tomorrow, Tuesday March 1st, Hamilton County at 9AM, and Suwannee County at 6PM. See previous post for locations, pictures, and more names of participants in the hike. Sabal Trail declined to send anyone to this well-announced hike, although Spectra has been holding one-on-one meetings with individual county commissioners, or, rather six to one, just like they did in their “Open Houses” where they surrounded each landowner with six pipeline blueshirts.

Here are links to each of the WWALS videos, followed by a video playlist. Can you spot the Sabal Trail marker stakes, and the sinkholes? Continue reading →

Pictures: Hike to Sabal Trail route across Suwannee River with Suwannee and Hamilton County Commissioners 2016-02-18

Commissioners from counties on both sides of the Suwannee River saw the sinkholes and big oaks and pines directly above and near where KIMG3665 30.4091034, -83.1629486 Sabal Trail proposes to bore under Suwannee River State Park and the River, led by WWALS board member and Hamilton County resident Chris Mericle, assisted by Debra Johnson of SpectraBusters, Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson of Our Santa Fe River (OSFR), and others from as far away as south Florida. All but one of the Suwannee County Commissioners were there, and he had a good excuse. They also saw Falmouth Spring, which is part of a cave system which Sabal Trail claims is 100 feet deep. Both county commissions meet Tuesday March 1st; see below for details. WWALS videos to come now posted. You can see Continue reading →

Workshop at VSU, Outings, Movie, and Hike to the Suwannee River –WWALS to Lowndes County Commissioners

Following up on the invitation I gave them in person last week, I sent this to the Lowndes County Commissioners just now, addressed to all five voting Commissioners, the Chairman, and the County Clerk:

Subject: Workshop at VSU, Outings, Movie, and Hike to the Suwannee River

Dear Commissioners,

Thanks again for the continued work on the Alapaha Boat Ramp, which will contribute to the quality of life recommended in the Comprehensive Plan.

As I mentioned at your Regular Session last week, you are invited to several WWALS events coming up soon, especially this one, which requires no boats: Continue reading →

Suwannee County Commission voted to oppose fracking 2016-02-16

WWALS member Debra Johnson reported last night on SpectraBusters, Suwannee County Opposes Fracking and Revocation of Home Rule,

Joining Forty-one different cities and 27 counties in Florida that have voted to ban fracking or have expressed their opposition to it since January 2015, Suwannee County BOCC approved three identical fracking opposition letters to Governor Scott, Pro-fracking Bill Sponsors Senator Richter (SB 318) and House Representative Rodrigues (HB 191) tonight. These bills also contain language that would eliminate Home Rule for local governments concerning fracking.

Chairman Jason Bashaw stated that the board was in agreement that Continue reading →

Online movie: At What Cost? Pipelines, Pollution and Eminent Domain in the Rural South

If you missed it in Live Oak last night, or in one of the previous premieres along the Georgia coast, you can see the movie online: At What Cost? Pipelines, Pollution and Eminent Domain in the Rural South, by Mark Albertin. And yes, he’s happy for it to be shown elsewhere; just ask.

Thanks to Push Back the Pipeline for getting this movie made about Kinder Morgan’s proposed petroleum products pipeline from South Carolina across the Georgia coast to Jacksonville, Florida. Special thanks to Eileen, Lori, and Debra and the Woman’s Club of Live Oak for the movie showing last night, and to SpectraBusters, Our Santa Fe River, and Gulf Restoration Network for helping promote it. Don’t forget the hike to the Suwannee River Sabal Trail crossing 8:15 AM Thursday 28 February 2016 with Suwannee and Hamilton County Commissioners.

Most of the issues are the same for the invading Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline which Continue reading →