In the paper Suwannee Democrat, May 5th, 2016.
WWALS Watershed Coalition showed Suwannee County Commissioners sinkholes in the middle of the pipeline path that Sabal Trail didn’t mention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). All of them, except Jason Bashaw, studied a report by a local geologist and showed leadership by voting to tell that “truth that exists in the middle” to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The quotation above is a reference to Continue reading
So Lowndes County should have no problem asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to come investigate what Sabal Trail didn’t tell FERC.
And if the county is concerned about legal expenses, maybe it should pay attention
to the lawsuits happening right now in California about a natural gas leak
that went up into the air, closing schools, evacuating hundreds, and making many of them sick.
The VDT article today doesn’t mention writing a letter to the Corps was one of my requests to the county. It does quote the Chairman expresssing interest in details of eminent domain, in differences in regulation of oil and gas pipelines, and in environmental and safety issues of natural gas pipelines. Treating his statements as questions, I have provided some further information below on those points.
And he does say the county might have incurred legal expenses if it hadn’t accepted Sabal Trail’s money for the easement. He doesn’t mention how much money Lowndes County spent suing a local company on behalf of a trash collection company financed out of New York City, or how much money the county spent suing a local church about a minor tax matter. It seems when Lowndes County wants to do something, it doesn’t worry so much about legal expenses. And maybe the county should worry more about legal expenses if something does go wrong with that pipeline, especially considering what’s happening with the Porter Ranch leak in California.
Besides, writing a letter Continue reading
Pipeline invaders go home to Houston, signed, Georgia legislature.
Georgia Sierra Club’s Neill Herring and Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers at WWALS Watershed Conference in Tifton, 24 August 2013.
Kristi E. Swartz, EEnews, 28 March 2016, PIPELINES: Ga. lawmakers move to block 2 interstate projects,
Continue readingATLANTA — Georgia may be friendly to its own electric utility and natural gas companies, but the state Legislature sent a strong message last week to outside corporations that their pipelines are not welcome here.
Received today.
URGENT! — CALLS NEEDED TO STOP FRACKING BILL — SB 318
The fracking bill—SB 318—is scheduled for a vote in the Senate Appropriation Committee this Thursday, February 25.
We expect a close vote and need your help to stop the bill in this Committee.
If your State Senator is one of the 19 members of the Senate Appropriations Committee on the list below, please call him/her on now. Say that you live in the Senator’s district, and that you vote. Continue reading
Following up on
the invitation I gave them in person last week,
I sent this to the Lowndes County Commissioners just now,
addressed to
all five voting Commissioners, the Chairman, and the County Clerk:
Subject: Workshop at VSU, Outings, Movie, and Hike to the Suwannee River
Dear Commissioners,
Thanks again for the continued work on the Alapaha Boat Ramp, which will contribute to the quality of life recommended in the Comprehensive Plan.
As I mentioned at your Regular Session last week, you are invited to several WWALS events coming up soon, especially this one, which requires no boats: Continue reading
Is less than 50 cents per person in Lowndes County enough to risk drinking water for all?
Noelani Mathews, 27 January 2016, Lowndes County Leaders Vote 4-1 for Sabal Trail,
A 4-1 vote Tuesday night has paved the way for the pipeline to run through part of Lowndes County, but some are upset about the Board’s decision.
“They’re suppose[d] to represent the people of the County, not the salesman for a pipeline company from Houston, Texas”, says John Quarterman, president of WWALS Watershed Coalition.
Continue reading
Several Suwannee County Commissioners are studying the difficult and constantly-changing subject of energy, although the Chairman said he had already made up his mind,
Carl McKinney’s droll legend refers on his picture refers to Chris Mericle
as “Jasper man”.
The map shows sinkholes near the proposed pipeline path across the Suwannee River
and the Falmouth Cathedral Cave System.
at the Suwannee County Board of Commissioners meeting last night.
They did nothing about a further resolution against Sabal Trail,
although numerous citizens (many of them WWALS members)
from Suwannee County and nearby counties helped discuss the situation.
Carl McKinney, Suwannee Democrat, 16 December 2015, The future of energy: Debate takes over Suwannee commission meeting,
Following the Suwannee County Commission’s decision last week not to formally oppose the Sabal Trail pipeline entering its jurisdiction, the public engaged commissioners in a debate over the future of energy.
At Tuesday evening’s commission meeting, several members of the public discussed with commissioners the advantages of solar power, Florida’s energy needs and environmental stewardship.
During public comment, local resident Debra Johnson asked Continue reading
It looks awful strange when EPA chooses to name and believe Florida Audubon, which agrees with Sabal Trail, but doesn’t even name Sierra Club, when discounting SC’s much larger concerns. Why should EPA, or we, believe Sabal Trail’s “intent” when Sabal Trail’s parent company, Spectra Energy, has repeatedly not even followed federal law or its own corporate procedures?
Bruce Ritchie, Politico, 16 December 2015,
EPA reverses course on several Sabal Trail pipeline issues,
TALLAHASSEE — The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has reversed itself on numerous points in opposition to a proposed natural gas pipeline that would extend from Alabama across Southwest Georgia and North Florida.
In October, the EPA said in a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that it had “very significant concerns” that the proposed route posed a threat to the Floridan Aquifer, the drinking water supply for much of the region. The agency also raised concerns about the pipeline’s impact on wetlands, conservation lands, and minority communities in the region.
But in a Dec. 11 letter sent to the Army Corps of Engineers, the EPA’s James D. Giattina said the agency had met with representatives of Sabal Trail Transmission LLC and reviewed the company’s comments sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. As a result, the EPA has come to different conclusions on several issues.
The EPA’s change of heart raises suspicions for Frank Jackalone, senior organizing manager for the Sierra Club in Florida.
Continue reading
Wow! They’re not kidding around. Suwannee County calls on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to keep the Sabal Trail invading pipeline out of Suwannee County and out of the state of Florida.
Here’s the agenda for tomorrow morning’s 9:30 AM Thursday December 10th 2015 meeting:
SUWANNEE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COUNCIL MEETING ROOM
LIVE OAK CITY HALL
101 SOUTHEAST WHITE AVENUE
LIVE OAK, FLORIDATENTATIVE AGENDA FOR SPECIAL-CALLED MEETING
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
- Consider sending a letter from the Board to the US Army Corps of Engineers and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission pertaining to the Sabal Trail Pipeline.
Here’s the draft letter: Continue reading
Suwannee County has waked up!
Carl McKinney, Suwannee Democrat, 7 December 2015,
Suwannee County seeks allies in pipeline fight,
County staff is writing a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state of Florida, requesting the pipeline not enter Suwannee County.
The commission will vote on whether to send the letters during its Dec. 15 meeting. Both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection have to issue permits for the venture.
Commissioner Larry Sessions proposed Continue reading