Draft Agenda
WWALS Annual Membership Meeting
2:00 PM Sunday 8 July 2018, followed by the WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting
Wooden Nickel, 3269 Inner Perimeter Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602Presentation of annual report, election of board members and selection of kayak raffle winner!
The raffle kayak at Little River Fest, Reed Bingham State Park, April 14, 2018.WWALS members can vote in this annual meeting, and the public is invited to observe.
Board members are listed in www.wwals.net/board: Continue reading
Tag Archives: WWALS
Two sewage spills from Tifton, GA
Tifton spilled twice into the New River watershed, 36,000 gallons and 5,400 gallons, both into the New River watershed upstream of the Withlacoochee and the Suwannee Rivers, apparently both spills during or after Tropical Storm Alberto, and there was no public notice until two weeks later.
Stuart Taylor, Tifton Gazette, June 11, 2018, 36,000 gallon raw sewage spill enters drainage system, cited as source Thomas Coker, “plant manager with ESG Operations,” who is also listed by the City of Tifton as Wastewater Superintendent. I called him to clarify some details. Here is information about the two spills, both related to Tropical Storm Alberto:
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36,000 gallons, Wednesday, May 30 through Thursday, June 7, 2018,
from 315 E. 20th Street, into Tifton’s stormwater system, after 2 inches of rain.
Google map by WWALS.Because this spill was more than Continue reading
Hollin Gammage from Tennessee, among 7 finalists for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Valdosta, GA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Valdosta, GA, June 14, 2018 — Three judges from Florida and Georgia will choose from seven finalists from three states to award prizes in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday, June 23, in Valdosta, Georgia.
Sending in a song from the farthest away, Tennessee, and with the most laconic self-description, is Hollin Gammage:
Performing songwriter from southeast north America will travel.
She wrote a bit more on ReverbNation: Continue reading
Phosphate mines on agenda, Gilchrist BOCC, 2018-06-18
Mike Roth, president of Our Santa Fe River, requests:
On Monday, June 18, at the Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners meeting in Trenton which starts at 4PM, we will get the opportunity to appeal to the Board to issue a “letter of concern” regarding the phosphate mine applied for in Bradford and Union Counties. As you certainly know, OSFR has stood in opposition to this mine on the grounds that it is a substantial threat to the health of the Santa Fe River and to all those who live by the river and all those who use the river recreationally. Further, it threatens the aquifer that is recharged by the river and as such, anyone and anything that uses groundwater.
When: 4PM (hearing 4:45 PM), Monday, June 18, 2018
Where: Board of County Commissioners Meeting Facility,
210 South Main Street, Trenton, FloridaWhat: Letter of concern about HPS II Phosphate Mine in Bradford and Union Counties, Florida
Gilchrist County Commissioners from left to right: Sharon A. Langford, Kenrick Thomas, Todd Gray, D Ray Harrison, Jr., and Marion Poitevint
Gilchrist County is downstream Continue reading
WWALS prepares to sue FERC for shirking LNG Export oversight
Update 2022-07-26: You can comment or intervene on the Rulemaking on small inland Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) facilities that WWALS and six co-signers got started with FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. We don’t need more methane leaks and we don’t need highly compressed explosive LNG trucks rolling down I-75 and I-10 with no environmental oversight and no safety plans.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C., June 13, 2018 — WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) prepares to sue the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for shirking its legally-required oversight of inland liquid natural gas (LNG) terminals. “LNG trucks barrel down I-75 right by my old high school in Lowndes County, Georgia,” said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, after meeting with WWALS’ attorneys in Washington, D.C. “Those trucks from LNG terminals in Alabama and Georgia pass a technical college, a conference center, motels, homes, and businesses, going to I-10 for Jacksonville, Florida, where that LNG goes at least as far on ships as Puerto Rico.”
Since the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in 2015 abdicated its jurisdictional duties under the Natural Gas Act to regulate the siting, construction, operation and maintenance of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) small-scale inland export facilities, instead these facilities operate with basically no Federal oversight.
“I am greatly concerned that an LNG commercial project of this magnitude is not only planned, but that apparently has slipped through the cracks of local and federal regulators,” said WWALS member Harriet Heywood of Citrus County, Florida.
At the ends of the Sabal Trail pipeline chain in Florida, trucks go out from half a dozen LNG export operations authorized by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy (FE). If any of those trucks wrecks, federal standard everyone should be evacuated half a mile downwind, including high schools and hospitals. Very few local emergency responders know this and fewer have appropriate emergency plans.
Vulnerability of LNG by Rail, by Martin County Fire Rescue, December 15, 2015.
“The unintended consequences of FERC’s abdication of Congressional jurisdictional authority are mind-boggling,” said WWALS member Cecile Scofield of Palm City, Martin County, Florida, “They include Continue reading
SR26 Solar Farm, Trenton, Gilchrist County, Florida
What needs no washing, no irrigation, emits no wastewater, and disturbs no wetlands, while producing revenue for years after local installation jobs? 74.9 Megawatts AC of solar power going in at 4370 SW 80 Street, Trenton, Florida, assuming the Gilchrist BOCC approved it last week as staff recommended.
Gilchrist Board of County Commissioners, Full Agenda, June 4, 2018, page 69: Continue reading
Fundraiser to stop FERC shirking LNG oversight
Update 2022-10-26: WWALS response to opposition comments by Eagle LNG about small, inland LNG 2022-10-17.
Update 2022-10-04: WWALS response to FERC on opposition comments of Pivotal LNG about small, inland LNG Rulemaking 2022-10-04.
Update 2022-07-26: You can comment or intervene on the Rulemaking on small inland Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) facilities that WWALS and six co-signers got started with FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. We don’t need more methane leaks and we don’t need highly compressed explosive LNG trucks rolling down I-75 and I-10 with no environmental oversight and no safety plans.
Update 2022-07-22: Petition for Rulemaking on FERC Oversight of Small-Scale Inland LNG Export Facilities 2022-07-22.
Update 2021-07-21: Ghost company: Strom LNG.
Update 2018-11-14:
And
Strom wants to export through Port of Tampa, on tanker ships under the I-275 bridge right past St. Pete.
Update 2018-06-13: Press Release.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has abdicated its jurisdictional duties under the Natural Gas Act to regulate the siting, construction, operation and maintenance of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) small-scale inland export facilities.
Instead these facilities operate with basically no Federal oversight.
LNG trucks barrel down I-75 through Georgia past high schools, colleges, businesses, and homes, then on I-10 to Jacksonville for ships at least as far as Puerto Rico. At the ends of the Sabal Trail pipeline chain in Florida, trucks go out from half a dozen LNG export operations authorized by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy (FE). If any of those trucks wrecks, federal standard everyone should be evacuated half a mile downwind, including high schools and hospitals. Very few local emergency responders know this and fewer have appropriate emergency plans.
Map: by WWALS, from federal and state filings of LNG export operations.
Compounding the problem, Continue reading
LNG Export in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida
Update 2020-01-14: Better maps.
Update 2018-06-06: Fundraiser to stop FERC shirking its LNG oversight duties.
Did you know there are multiple liquid natural gas (LNG) facilities already shipping LNG down I-75 and I-10 to Jacksonville, Florida, another one in Hialeah, FL apparently exporting through Miami, with permission to export from four ports up and down Florida’s east coast, plus another permitted at Crystal River, and still more?
![[WWALS LNG Export Map]](/pictures/2018-10-31--lng-map/2018-10-31--WWALS-LNG-export-map.jpg)
Only a few of the LNG operations shown were permitted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); most notably Elba Island LNG, downstream from Savannah, Georgia. Most of them have been authorized by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy (FE).
Pivotal LNG, LNG and ports
Pivotal LNG is trucking LNG to JAXport right now.
Pivotal is Continue reading
Final Suwannee River BMAP 2018-05-22
Did you know the Final Suwannee River BMAP was released last week? Apparently not many others did, either. Here’s the letter I sent FDEP about that.
June 4, 2018
Mr. Noah Valenstein, Secretary
Dept. of Environmental Protection Continue reading
Alapaha Quest TBA, Alapaha River, 2018-08-11
Locations announced! Follow this link.
Experience the wilderness via the Alapaha River Water Trail as we continue the Alapaha Quest. Due to river level variations, the location will be determined as we get closer to the date. Could be anything from rapids to flood to a dry river hike, depending on rainfall.
When: 8 AM, Saturday, August 11, 2018
Put In: To Be Announced (TBA)
Take Out: TBA
Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
Continue reading