Tag Archives: Gordon Rogers

Sabal Trail risks drinking water –Gordon Rogers in Georgia Sierran

Apparently fracked methane is Sierra Club Georgia’s next fight now that Keystone XL is dead, since almost its entire January/February/March issue of Georgia Sierran is about opposing natural gas: PDF.

See for example “Why Natural Gas Is Not a Climate Solution”, by Joshua Hanthorn. And “LNG Puts Savannah at Risk”, by Karen Grainey and Stacey Kronquest. Karen is chair of the Coastal Group of Sierra Club Georgia. Pretty much everything in that article also applies to Jacksonville, and quite likely to Palm Beach and other locations in Florida very soon.

Mentioning WWALS is “Pipeline in Southwest Georgia and Central Florida Risks Drinking Water,” by Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper,

001 The Sabal Pipeline, a joint venture of Spectra Energy, Duke Energy, and NextEra Energy, poses threats to Georgia and Florida communities on multiple fronts. For southwest Georgia and north Florida residents it’s all risks and no rewards. However, so far federal and state authorities have thus far been unmoved by arguments against it.

During the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) public comment period, the agency received more than 1,000 written comments, mostly opposing the project, including resolutions against it from seven counties in Georgia and Florida, and three of the largest cities in its path (Albany, Moultrie and Valdosta).

The article talks about FERC’s FEIS, EPA, GA-EPD, and other matters, before turning to WWALS and Florida. Continue reading →

EPA stepped back, while opposition ramps up against Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EPA stepped back, while opposition ramps up against Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline

Hahira and Albany, Georgia, December 18, 2015— (PDF) Mysteriously contradicting a substantive October letter from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 in Atlanta, a different EPA branch last Friday sent a brief and sketchy letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers uncritically accepting what Sabal Trail’s attorney’s told it, even as multiple environmental and landowner organizations filed objections with the Corps and multiple state agencies against that invading natural gas pipeline.

“I smell a skunk,” said Frank Jackalone, senior organizing manager, Sierra Club of Florida.

Tim Carroll, Valdosta City Council member, said, “I don’t understand how EPA and FERC can say there will not be a negative impact on our environment, aquifer, streams and rivers. A number of experts testified and spoke up saying the likelihood is very high that there could be damage to the aquifer and the environment. Why would we want to allow this to happen, to run the risk of seriously degrading one of the best water resources in the world.,” Valdosta, Moultrie, and Albany, the three biggest cities along the pipeline path in Georgia, all passed resolutions against Sabal Trail, as did the counties of Terrell, Dougherty, Colquitt, Brooks, and Lowndes, in Georgia, and Hamilton and Suwannee Counties in Florida.

“The one government agency actually defending our drinking in the Floridan Aquifer and the many rivers in Georgia and Florida just stifled itself,” Continue reading →

Stop the Sinkhole Trail Pipeline tonight in Albany, GA: Public Hearing, Sabal Trail Compressor Air Quality Permit, GA-EPD 2015-11-05

FERC requires state permits, including an air quality permit from GA-EPD: no permit, no pipeline. You can help stop Spectra Energy’s the Sabal “Sinkhole” Trail pipeline 6:30 PM tonight, 5 November 2015 at Albany Technical College, Kirkland Conference Center, 1704 S. Slappey Boulevard, Albany, GA 31701. There will be a press conference by the opposition about 5:45.

Gretchen Quarterman, WWALS Watershed Coalition and Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper
Gretchen Quarterman, WWALS Watershed Coalition and Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper, last night with the banner he had made for the occasion.

Here are Press release and other details.

You can oppose this unnecessary, destructive, and hazardous pipeline in many other ways, including supporting WWALS opposition to an FDEP permit to drill under the Suwannee River in Florida.

-jsq

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

Albany reporter objects to citizens asking a public official to represent them against the invading Sabal Trail pipeline

Thanks, Carlton Fletcher, for reminding the public the fight against Sabal Trail isn’t over! Come tell FERC what you think in Moultrie tonight, Valdosta Wednesday, or Lake City Thursday.

Asking our most local representatives to table or deny a motion threatening our Withlacoochee River and Okapilco Creek isn’t “magic”: it’s democracy. Maybe GA-DNR should publish contact information for its board members to make that easier. Meanwhile, David won against Goliath and we can too.

Carlton Fletcher, Albany Herald, 26 September 2015, CARLTON FLETCHER: Anti-pipeline letter steps over line: Continue reading →

Flint Riverkeeper to GA Senate Aquifer Storage Study Committee

The same Floridan Aquifer underlies the Flint River, and our Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and other rivers, all of Florida, and across south Georgia all the way to the coast, where Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper, explained it to the Georgia Senate’s Long-Term Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Study Committee, 4 August 2014 on Jekyll Island. The ASR idea of pumping treated water into the ground for later retrieval is a bad idea, as Gordon spelled out.

See especially this part in Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers’ Comments to the Senate ASR Study Committee,

In central south GA, eastern and coastal GA, Floridan water is thousands of years old, quite pristine, and is so slow to recharge that essentially it does not recharge in comparison to human uses.

Remember, the Flint River basin where the Georgia legislature keeps trying to implement ASR is the next one to the west Continue reading →

the single largest asset that you’ll ever own –Gordon Rogers

Albany TV covered yesterday’s WWALS Watershed Conference. First picture by Fox31, the rest by John S. Quarterman and Gretchen Quarterman. WWALS video will follow.

Franklin White wrote for Fox31online yesterday, The importance of Watershed conservation,

Gordon Rogers says, “it’s important to advocate for good management by our resource agencies within that framework of laws.”

Franklin White, Fox 31, and Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper at WWALS Water Conference

Gordon says it hits home for him because the Flint River where he works ranks second on the american rivers endangered rivers list, a reason he says water management is such an important issue to the region.

Hydrology

He says, “it belongs to all of us. it’s the single largest asset that you’ll ever own is your river and your creek and you’re aquifer.”

Environmental Lobbyist Neill Herring says the goal is to restore and preserve the habitat, water quality and flow of the Flint and other rivers.

Neill Herring

Herring says, “these natural resources particularly the water systems are their private property, they have a property interest in the water.”

And outside of the Flint, officials say there are four other major rivers to keep an eye on. those being Willacooche, Withlocooche, Alapha, and Little River systems.

Blackwater

“Cause it’s a rapidly moving political landscape. Operating wisely with this limited amount of water that you have,” says Gordon.

Permits

He says it’s important for local citizens to take ownership of the political process of their watershed. To learn more, visit the Watershed Coalitions website at WWALS.net.

WWALS Watershed Conference, Tifton, GA, 24 August 2013

How we manage water affects our water’s quality and quantity. WWALS logo WWALS Watershed Coalition is pleased to announce a Water Conference where Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper will share information on hydrology of the South Georgia region and Neill Herring, Environmental Lobbyist, will discuss upcoming legislation that can affect our watersheds and aquifer. The conference will take place in Tifton on Saturday, August 24, 2013 from 9:00 am until noon at the NESPAL, University of Georgia, Tifton Campus at 2360 Rainwater Road.

Continue reading →

Flint River #2 on American Rivers’ Most Endangered Rivers list

American Rivers released Wednesday its list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® 2013, and our neighbor to the west, the Flint River, is on it. Some of the Flint’s problems are the same as in our WWALS watersheds, including drought and floods. The writeup doesn’t mention it, but I think the arsenic wellwater problem extends over there, too. The Flint does have Atlanta at its headwaters, and Flint Riverkeeper and others just had to fight off a legislative attempt to frack Flint water for Atlanta. However, the overpumping problem was apparently already much worse in parts of our watersheds way back in 1980. And the Flint doesn’t have the Lowndes County Commission, which prefers to close its only public access to the Alapaha River rather than listen to 350 people wanting to keep it open for demonstrated public uses. -jsq

Flint River, Georgia Take Action
At Risk: Water supply for communities, farms, recreation, and wildlife
Threat: Outdated water management

The Flint River provides water for over one million people, 10,000 farms, unique wildlife, and 300 miles of exceptional fishing and paddling. Despite being in a historically wet area of the country, in recent years many Flint River tributaries are drying up completely and the river’s low flows have dropped dramatically.

American Rivers and Flint Riverkeeper are working in collaboration with diverse partners to restore the flows and health of the Flint. The State of Georgia also has a role to play and must act to protect the Flint in droughts and at all times to safeguard the river’s health for today and future generations.

The Threat

The Flint is a river running dry. The reasons are many, and include

Continue reading →

WWALS in the Ocilla Star, 2013-02-13

WWALS in the Ocilla Star Wednesday 13 February 2013, scan by Cindy Leighton:

WWALS, Ocilla Star, Scan by Cindy Leighton

This is from the WWALS press release of 10 January 2013 that also appeared in Tifton Gazette 18 January 2013.

Veteran River Conservationist Gordon Rogers spoke to new WWALS Watershed Coalition

WWALS logo WWALS Watershed Coalition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Veteran River Conservationist Gordon Rogers spoke to new WWALS Watershed Coalition

Adel, GA, 9 January 2013 — A local watershed group formed in June 2012, WWALS Watershed Coalition, invited Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper, to its first meeting of the new year to bring his experiences with the Altamaha, Satilla, and Flint Rivers to its conservation efforts on behalf of local blackwater rivers in south central Georgia.

Gordon Rogers speaks to WWALS board

Three newcomers, Garry Gentry, Dave Hetzel, Al Browning, Bret Wagenhorst, Gordon Rogers, Karan Rawlins, Gretchen Quarterman

Continue reading →