Tag Archives: Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson

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 →

Videos: WWALS witnesses in Day 2, WWALS v. Sabal Trail & FDEP 2015-10-20

Dennis Price cross-examination DEP’s only witness yesterday, today also a witness for WWALS, couldn’t find a document she needed in the Respondents’ cartload (literally) of documents, not even with the help of five Respondent attorneys, yet everyone could find items in the two WWALS exhibit books quite readily.

We also learned that concerns were irrelevant, only actual effects on WWALS members count, which made it too difficult for Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson to get qualified as an expert witness, even though she has assisted DEP and SRWMD in environmental issues. And we couldn’t talk about air quality issues, since DEP already issued an air quality permit for the Sabal Trail Hildreth compressor station in Suwannee County, so what David Shields could talk about was very limited, even though he and his family with their organic farm live downwind of that compressor station. However, WWALS expert witness Dennis Price hit geological questions out of the ballpark. And a cow did fall into a sinkhole.

Here are WWALS videos of each witness, followed by a video playlist. See also much more about this case, including videos of the other two days, and how you can help WWALS defend our members, the Suwannee River, and the Floridan Aquifer.

E-comment to FERC ASAP, especially experts

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson says: “Please consider saying something and be counted.” Here’s How to send an ecomment to FERC.

You can ecomment today on FERC docket number CP15-17 against the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline invading Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

Until December 11, 2015 you can also send comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers against Sabal Trail’s use of rivers and wetlands. You can do this for any of Florida, Georgia, or Alabama.

In Georgia, you can send comments to Continue reading →

Soon down to the wire to oppose Sabal Trail invasion

The fracking that drives new pipelines was a crime until ten years ago, and it should be again: injecting poisons into the ground under our water supply was always a bad idea.

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson and Jim Tatum, Suwannee Democrat, 14 September 2015, The FERC flexes its muscles on Sabal Trail,

The time frame is coming down to the wire as to Sabal Trail and its invasion of our riverbeds and springs systems. They have met with nothing but negative comments throughout Georgia and Florida. People have turned out in droves to express their dissent. In spite of this, they move onward with their plan to install a 36” pipeline under the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers, and through the center of this fragile spring system. Our springs heartland is a regional identity unlike any in the world, but vulnerable to developers and oil and gas companies.

Many environmental groups have been active in resisting. Our Santa Fe River Inc. was consistently Continue reading →

WWALS hopes to block Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline –Ocala StarBanner

Add that many WWALS members, some pictured here on the Suwannee River at the proposed Sabal Trail crossing, live in Florida, and this article from that same day is a good summary of the situation a week ago. It was also picked up by Bakken.com, “Powered by Shale Plays Media”.

Christopher Curry, Ocala StarBanner, 15 August 2015, Georgia-based group hopes to block natural gas pipeline, Continue reading →

Monticello, FL bans fracking

Passed a resolution, actually, but that contributes towards an ordinance or a statewide ban on fracking in Florida.

Our Santa Fe River, 4 August 2015, Sometimes You Win One!

Members of the Floridians Against Fracking Anti-Fracking Coalition and other supporters and friends celebrated tonight when the Monticello City Council voted unanimously to support a ban on fracking by resolution. Multiple members from OSFR were present and addressed the Council.

Today, August 4, 2015 was an important date for Continue reading →

Hamilton and Madison: both WWALS Florida Counties passed anti-fracking resolutions

We’ve already seen Hamilton County’s RESOLUTION 2015-02 of 3 March 2015. Madison County followed 11 March 2015, as reported by Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson for Our Santa Fe River, The Commissioners of Madison County—THEY ROCK!!

This morning the Commissioners of Madison County concluded their business by unanimously signing a resolution to ban fracking and to support the bills in Tallahassee which do that. County Attorney Tommy Reeves was johnny-on-the-spot ready with the resolution so there was no delay there.

Continue reading →