Tag Archives: Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson

Solar Rocks for the Equinox @ SSJSCNFWG 2017-09-23

Suwannee Riverkeeper will be speaking at this event, about how Georgia moved ahead in solar power, Looking up what Florida has tried and still needs to do, and how solar power has already won the economic race, supplying more new solar power in 2016 than anything else (more than natural gas and more than wind), and employing more people than coal, oil, and gas combined. When even FPL is finally building solar power, including at showplaces such as Daytona International Speedway, the sun is starting to rise on the Sunshine State. There will be a WWALS table with information about all this.

Solar Rocks for the Equinox
March 7, 2017
Press Release: For Immediate Release

Solar Energy Expo
Save the Date

When: 9am-5pm Saturday, September 23, 2017

Where: Sierra Club North Florida Headquarters at
Rum 138 2070 SW County Road 138, Fort White, FL 32038 Continue reading →

Videos: Walk for Water, Speak for Springs, Dunnellon, FL 2017-01-28

See also some previous pictures of Walk for Water & Speak for the Springs, which was organized by Our Santa Fe River (OSFR), Sabal Trail Resistance, and Dylan Hansen.

Below are links to each of the WWALS videos (including the earlier android phone videos), with a few notes, followed by a video playlist. Continue reading →

Rush Hour Rally at FPL HQ to Stop Sabal Trail Pipeline 2016-10-14

Taking it to the source: the headquarters of FPL, whose ratepayers are on the hook for $3 billion for the Transco → Sabal Trail → FSC fracked methane pipeline boondoggle through Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, Sierra Club and Indian Riverkeeper are holding a Rush Hour Rally this Friday, October 14th 2016 in Juno Beach, Florida; see press release for details. If you can’t get there, there are other events all over Florida and beyond. Remember, FPL admits no need for new electricity until 2024, so there’s no more excuse for Sabal Trail.

At FPL HQ, Juno Beach, FL

The facebook page Protect Florida Against Sabal Trail attempts to keep track of upcoming rallies against Sabal Trail or its ugly stepsisters, which are popping up practically daily. Here are some events scheduled starting this weekend: Continue reading →

Pipeline Panel #NoDAPL #NoSabalTrail @ VSU 2016-09-28

Come hear how the Standing Rock Sioux in North Dakota are protecting their water from the same fossil industry and the same companies that want to drill the Sabal Trail pipeline under our Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers in south Georgia and north Florida.

14257461 1383948684952749 4716478531857571384 O When: 7PM Wednesday September 28th 2016

What: The Pipeline Controversy

Where: Cypress Room
University Center
Valdosta State University Continue reading →

SRWMD listens about Sabal Trail easements, chooses unfortunately, yet offers assistance 2016-07-12

Attached are my comments to the SRWMD Governing Board today (July 12th 2016) in regards to the Sabal Trail crossing site over the Falmouth Cathedral Cave System.

I was the first to speak at the public comment period followed by Jim Tatum then Merrillee. Jim and Merrillee echoed my concerns. The three of us set the tone for the meeting! The Board was interested and engaged asking questions to better understand what impacts Sabal Trail poses for the cave system and the District. About Time!


Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson of Sierra Club Florida speaking to SRWMD 2016-07-12
Photo credit: Our Santa Fe River

Executive Director, Noah Valenstein offered to personally call the ACE to request Continue reading →

Sabal Trail easements at SRWMD 2016-07-12 and SFWMD 2016-07-14

Tomorrow this morning (Thursday July 14th 2016) Sabal Trail is on the agenda of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) for permission to use conservation easements Sierra Club facebook event
for its fracked methane pipeline. How does this square with Sabal Trail’s assertions that it already has all the permits it needs? The irony of meeting for this in West Palm Beach, a stone’s throw from four already-approved LNG export operations at the end of the Sabal Trail pipeline chain in Martin County. How does profit for a pipeline company from Houston and LNG export to Asia square with the mission of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection? If you’re in the area, please write, call, or go, before or by 9AM tomorrow morning to oppose these easements and put a kink in Sabal Trail’s pipeline. 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 →

On Columbia County agenda 2016-02-04? Falling Creek Aquifer Recharge

Why is the SRWMD Executive Director on the Columbia County agenda a few days before the SRWMD board meeting with the Falling Creek Aquifer Recharge project?

Under “Presentation of Ministerial Matters Not Requiring Public Comment”, on the February 4th agenda for the Columbia Board of County Commissioners:

Noah Valenstein, Executive Director, Suwannee River Water Management District

   (1) Introduction

Introduction of what? Of the Continue reading →