We’ll float down the Suwannee River to this spot Sunday afternoon: come join us!
Picture from
Hamilton County, by
Marsanne Petty,
on
page 12; found by Chris Mericle.
Tag Archives: Hamilton County
Sabal Trail through Lowndes past Clyattville Elementary School
The invading pipeline would pass within about one mile of Clyattville Elementary School
where it would cross
Clyatt Mill Creek and then Railroad Avenue, at about
30.680638, -83.326501.
This would be after crossing the Withlacoochee River from Brooks into Lowndes Counties just north of US 84, and before crossing Jumping Gulley Creek and the state line into Hamilton County Florida, where the hearing was held in Jennings for WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FDEP.
You can see the general route in the Cover Map. After crossing the Withlacoochee River, Sabal Trail would cross Martin Lane and Tiger Creek, then Continue reading
WWALS moves to enter EPA letter to FERC into evidence in Florida case
Everyone from the Atlanta Journal-Constition to the Palm Beach Post to the
Ocala StarBanner
considers the EPA letter to FERC
to be of great significance.
WWALS agrees, and has filed a motion to ask the judge to take notice in WWALS v. Sabal Trail & DEP.
§ 373.414 Florida Statutes, begins:
(1) As part of an applicant’s demonstration that an activity regulated under this part will not be harmful to the water resources or will not be inconsistent with the overall objectives of the district, the governing board or the department shall require the applicant to provide reasonable assurance that state water quality standards applicable to waters as defined in s. 403.031(13) will not be violated and reasonable assurance that such activity in, on, or over surface waters or wetlands, as delineated in s. 373.421(1), is not contrary to the public interest. However, if such an activity significantly degrades or is within an Outstanding Florida Water, as provided by department rule, the applicant must provide reasonable assurance that the proposed activity will be clearly in the public interest.
Not just “not contrary to the public interest”. For an Outstanding Florida Water applicant (Sabal Trail) “must provide reasonable assurance that the proposed activity will be clearly in the public interest.” The Suwannee River is an Outstanding Florida Water. And the EPA letter is pretty good evidence that Sabal Trail did not provide such reasonable assurance.
Filed October 30, 2015 4:43 PM Division of Administrative Hearings (also PDF on WWALS website): Continue reading
Come to the hearing, WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FL-DEP, Jasper, FL 2015-10-19
We aim to win through evidence and argument!
If we can stop either the Environmental Resource Permit (ERP)
or the Easement to Use Sovereign Submerged Lands (Easement)
that the Florida Department of Environmental Resources (DEP)
intends to issue for Sabal Trail, there may be no pipeline.
Witnesses can still come forward to testify for the Suwannee or other Rivers, the Florida Aquifer, or their own land, water, and air against Sabal Trail. WWALS invites the public to attend; This is a court of law, so please be polite, and silent while proceedings are in progress.
Here’s some background on the case. Below is Judge Canter’s order of this morning about place, date, and time (PDF): Continue reading
Sabal Trail exposed in Jasper News
The closest FERC meeting is actually in Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 30 September 2015. And remember, sinkholes don’t matter, says FERC.
Amber Vann, Jasper News, 24 September 2015,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: Sabal’s proposed pipeline impact ‘less than significant’ on environment,
According to the EIS, “constructing and operating the Sabal Trail Project in South Georgia/North Florida could induce sinkhole development, alter spring characteristics and impact local groundwater flow and quality.” However, the study finds that Sabal Trail’s proposed impact minimization measures and construction methods would cause the project to not “significantly impact karst terrain, springs or the Floridian aquifer.”
The EIS goes on to state the Floridian aquifer is the “most productive aquifer Continue reading
Notice of Hearing in Jasper, FL October 19-22 2015 for WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FL-DEP
WWALS will argue for conserving the Suwannee River, the Floridan Aquifer, and other wetlands of Florida against the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline at this hearing in Jasper (or Live Oak). WWALS asked for Jasper in November because that’s in the middle of the affected landowners, while Sabal Trail and FL-DEP asked for Tallahassee in October because that’s where their offices are; it looks like the judge split the difference.
If you want to be a witness for WWALS, please contact us ASAP; time is very short. If you want to help financially, you can contribute to the IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign. Or become a member of WWALS.
Yesterday Administrative Law Judge Bram D. E. Canter ordered (PDF) for DOAH Case No. 15-4975: Continue reading
Sabal Trail right in the middle of the most vulnerable area of the Floridan Aquifer –John S. Quarterman for WWALS on Chris Beckham radio show 2015-08-31
The main point:
“I’ve got an independent route: let’s cancel this pipeline, and the Sunshine State should go directly to solar power.”
Here’s the video: Continue reading
Environment more important for economy than pipeline –Marihelen Wheeler
Marihelen Wheeler, Gainesville Sun, 9 September 2015, Stop the pipeline,
We must continue to resist the efforts of the Texas-based company, Spectra, to build the Sabal Trail pipeline through Alachua, Gilchrist, Suwannee, Levy and Marion counties.
The proposed pipeline will carry natural gas through a 36-inch pipe over 515 miles to serve Continue reading
Sabal Trail in most vulnerable area of the Floridan Aquifer –Orlando Sentinel
Orlando is just as affected as the Suwannee River by risks of the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline proposed by Spectra Energy of Houston, Texas. You can protest to FL-DEP, FERC, and your local, state, and federal elected and appointed officials, and to the news media.
Mary Shanklin, Orlando Sentinel, 9 September 2015, Natural-gas pipeline to Florida draws environmental concerns,
The Sabal Trail Pipeline has drawn opposition from a Florida group affiliated with WWALS Watershed Coalition Inc., which is based in Georgia. A chief concern is that the pipeline could impact Florida waterways and the drinking-water supply, said John S. Quarterman, director of the Florida and Georgia WWALS groups.
This is according to evidence FL-DEP itself sent to FERC in March 2014, showing the proposed pipeline path going through the most vulnerable area of the Floridan Aquifer, which as you can see on the map they included continues down to Orlando. Continue reading
Florida state regulators grant hearing at unknown data for WWALS v. Sabal Trail –Palm Beach Post
You’ve mostly been hearing about WWALS v. Sabal Trail lately because
of all the
news coverage
related to the petition to FL-DEP, which is great.
But of course WWALS does a lot more than that
and WWALS has been around before anybody ever heard of Sabal Trail.
Susan Salisbury, Palm Beach Post, 4 September 2015, State regulators grant hearing to anti-pipeline group,
WWALS Watershed coalition and WWALS-Florida which advocate for conservation of Suwannee River and other rivers in south Georgia and North Florida believe the proposed pipeline is not in the public interest and could have severe adverse effects on fish, wildlife, public recreation and navigation.
The pipeline would also go through the fragile karst limestone containing Continue reading