Tag Archives: Floridan Aquifer

WWALS petition against Sabal Trail dismissed by FL-DEP on technicality, not real issues

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WWALS petition against Sabal Trail dismissed by FL-DEP on technicality, not real issues

2015-09-04: New DEP message, new press release.

September 3rd, 2015, Jasper, Florida — Despite the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FL-DEP)’s Order of yesterday dismissing WWALS’ amended petition with prejudice on a technicality, including an attempt to deny FL-DEP’s responsibilities to the citizens of Florida, WWALS and WWALS-FL continue to point out the obvious: Spectra Energy’s proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline is not in the public interest, would interfere with property rights far beyond the crossing of the Suwannee River, would not maintain natural conditions, and could have severe adverse effects on fish, wildlife, public recreation, and navigation, especially if it blew up like a Spectra Energy pipeline did in May under the Arkansas River.

Hamilton County, FL resident Deanna Mericle, who wrote much of the WWALS amended petition that was dismissed, responds,

“DEP is doing a disservice to the citizens of Hamilton and Suwannee Counties by not hearing the legitimate argument and hiding behind a questionable technicality. I am sorely disappointed but not surprised.”

Yesterday WWALS received Continue reading →

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., Petitioners, vs. SABAL TRAIL TRANSMISSION, LLC and STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, Respondents 2015-08-28

Filed 28 August 2015 (PDF). -jsq

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

STATE OF FLORIDA

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

 

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.,

Petitioners,

 

vs.

 

SABAL TRAIL TRANSMISSION, LLC and

STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,

Respondents.

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OGC Case No.: 15-0468

Petition for Administrative Hearing:

Florida Department of

Environmental Protection’s intent to issue Environmental Resource Permit

Petitioner:   

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.   

P.O. Box 88

Hahira, GA 31632

wwalswatershed@gmail.com

WWALS Watershed Coalition Florida Inc.
Chris and Deanna Mericle
(386) 938-5943 or (321) 431-3204 or (386) 855-5096
7712 SW 32nd Lane
Jasper, FL 32052
mericle.deanna@gmail.com
cjmericle@gmail.com

Stamped cover pagePermit applicant: Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC.

400 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 300

Lake Mary, FL 32746

Department Permit file number: 0328333-001

Counties affected by the permitted activity: Hamilton, Suwannee, Gilchrist, Alachua, Levy, Citrus, Marion, Sumter, Lake, Polk, Orange, Osceola. Affected counties represented by WWALS: Hamilton, Suwannee, Madison.

Date Petitioner became aware Continue reading →

Filing petition with Florida Friday against Sabal Trail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 27th, 2015, Hahira — Continuing to oppose the unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous invading Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline, WWALS Watershed Coalition will file Friday an amended petition with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FL-DEP) opposing that agency’s intent to issue a permit for Sabal Trail Transmission to bore its 36-inch pipeline from Hamilton County to Suwannee County under the Suwannee River in Florida.

Update 2015-08-28: Here is the amended petition filed today.

WWALS originally filed a petition on August 7th. FL-DEP denied that petition on August 14th, giving a list of reasons and fourteen days to amend. WWALS will file an amended petition at the end of that fortnight, on Friday August 28th. Numerous residents of Florida have become WWALS members, and some will be named in the new filing.

Deanna Mericle, of Hamilton County, Florida, notes, Continue reading →

FL Gov. Scott’s blind trust isn’t opaque

Federal disclosure laws require revealing some information Florida’s blind trust law supposedly hides, and there are other cracks in that state law that let a reporter see some of what’s in Florida Governor Rick Scott’s blind trust, including last year that he owned stock in Spectra Energy and its subsidiary DCP Midstream Partners LP, as well as in Williams Co. and a flock of other pipeline and fossil fuel companies.

Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org, 19 August 2015, You don’t need X-ray vision to see through Gov. Rick Scott’s blind trust, Continue reading →

WWALS petition to FL DEP vs. Sabal Trail

This is the petition (PDF) WWALS filed Friday 7 Aug 2015 against FL-DEP’s intent to isue a permit for Sabal Trail to drill under the Suwannee River and otherwise destroy wetlands and add hazards for no benefit.

Spectra Energy of Houston, Texas also wants to drill the Sabal Trail pipeline under the Santa Fe River and the Withlacoochee south River (the one that flows from the Green Swamp to the Gulf). Sabal Trail also wants to drill under WWALS’ Withlacoochee River that flows into the Suwannee, but in Georgia, so that is not a topic of this petition.

Remember there are still plenty of things you can do to help stop this pipeline invader from destroying forests, fields, and streams, adding hazards for no benefit.

And you can come see where Sabal Trail proposes to cross the Suwannee this Saturday, August 15th, as we paddle down the river!

-jsq

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

STATE OF FLORIDA

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Continue reading →

Sabal Trail wants to drill under the Withlacoochee south River

It’s not just the Suwannee and the Santa Fe: 300x388 Vicinity Map, Sovereign Lands of the State of Florida, in Withlacoochee (Green Swamp) River Crossing, by Sabal Trail Transmission, for WWALS.net, 10 July 2015 Sabal Trail wants to drill into the fragile karst limestone under Florida’s Withlacoochee south River, too, above our Floridan Aquifer, and FL DEP proposes to permit them to do that. This is the other Withlacoochee River; the one from the Green Swamp to the Gulf. Sabal Trail wants a 24″ spur to Citrus County under this river. Watch out, Dunnelon, Marion County, and Citrus County!

(Sabal Trail does still want to drill under WWALS’ Withlacoochee River, known in Florida as the Withlacoochee north, but in Georgia, not Florida.)

Here are the Withlacoochee south River maps and related items from the Drawings Sabal Trail submitted with the FL-DEP Permit application.

Remember there are still plenty of things you can do to help stop this pipeline invader from destroying forests, fields, and streams, adding hazards for no benefit.

Proposed 24″ Citrus County Lateral, Site Plan and Profile, HDD

Continue reading →

Sabal Trail wants to drill under the Santa Fe River

It’s not just the Suwannee: Sabal Trail wants to drill into 300x388 Crossing Easement Location, Sovereign Lands of the State of Florida, in Santa Fe River Crossing, by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 10 July 2015 the fragile karst limestone under the Santa Fe River, too, above our Floridan Aquifer, and FL DEP proposes to permit them to do that. Watch out Branford, Suwannee County, and Gilchrist County!

Here are the Santa Fe River maps and related items from the Drawings Sabal Trail submitted with the FL-DEP Permit application.

Remember there are still plenty of things you can do to help stop this pipeline invader from destroying forests, fields, and streams, adding hazards for no benefit.

Proposed 36″ Pipeline, Site Plan and Profile, HDD

Continue reading →

FL DEP to issue permit trusting Sabal Trail to prevent leaks into the Floridan Aquifer

Canada’s National Energy Board just ordered Spectra Energy to fix chronic corrosion and leak problems after numerous fines, as did U.S. PHMSA before, yet 300x194 Horizontal Directional Drilling, in Suwannee River crossing, by Sabal Trail Transmission, for WWALS.net, 10 July 2015 Florida’s DEP plans to trust Spectra to build the Sabal Trail pipeline on top of our Floridan Aquifer, drilling under the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers.

This in the Notice of Intent to Issue Sabal Trail Transmission of 10 July 2015 sounds good without that context: Continue reading →

Spectra hires new lobbying firm in Atlanta for Sabal Trail

A Spectra is haunting Atlanta!

Apparently Spectra is feeling the heat about its proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline and has pushed the revolving door to get some lobbyists in Atlanta. We tried to warn you that you are surrounded, Atlanta!

So much for FERC being the only deciding body. Don’t forget to sign the Petition to GA Gov. Deal to oppose Sabal Trail pipeline.

Greg Bluestein, AJC Insider, 7 July 2015, Trio of bipartisan Atlanta lobbyists opening up new shop, Continue reading →

WWALS signs on to Global Frackdown

Ban fracking before it spreads, and ban it quickly enough to stop new pipelines! WWALS signed the Global Frackdown organized by Food and Water Watch:

Fracking threatens the air we breathe, the water we drink, the communities we love and the climate on which we depend.

The specific message WWALS added when signing 29 June 2015 was:

Fracking is driving a company from Houston, Texas to try to gouge a pipeline across our fragile watersheds and drinking water aquifer. Georgia is already the fastest-growing U.S. market for solar power, and just passed a solar financing law that will make it grow even faster. Meanwhile, a shale gas basin has been discovered under south Georgia and north Florida. Ban fracking before it spreads, and ban it quickly enough to stop new pipelines!

Remember, WWALS supports a fracking ban in Floirida, and Continue reading →