Received today this NOTICE, SUWANNEE-SATILLA REGIONAL WATER PLANNING COUNCIL MEETING, Announcement Date: February 16, 2016, TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND PARTIES::
The Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Planning Council is holding its next meeting for the Review and Revision of the Suwannee-Satilla Regional Water Plan at the following date, time, and location:
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Registration: 9:00 A.M. – 9:30 A.M.
Meeting: 9:30 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.Nashville Community Center Continue reading
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.
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
KMI was already trying to sell off its Palmetto petroleum products pipeline project across coastal Georgia before:
Friday
the South Carolina Senate passed a five-year moratorium on
“private, for-profit pipeline companies’ potential ability to
purchase land against property owners’ wishes”,
That’s two strikes in Georgia, and another in South Carolina. Three strikes, KMI!
But Florida, watch out. Continue reading
Despite being on FDEP’s permit announcement list,
I never got anything about a Sabal Trail permit.
After much digging, the other day I found that
FDEP went ahead and issued the Sabal Trail permit 22 January 2016
(PDF),
conveniently before
FERC issued certificates 2 February 2016.
That FDEP permit was also before the appeal deadline of 15 February 2016 in WWALS v Sabal Trail & FDEP. They did not copy the petitioner in that case, namely WWALS. They did copy Audubon Florida, which, as you may recall back in October sent FERC a letter supporting Sabal Trail (and then tried to walk back part of it). A letter that EPA chose to mention by name to the Army Corps of Engineers, while not naming Sierra Club or WWALS in opposition. Apparently if you go along with FDEP you get preferential notification.
And that, that’s nothing. FDEP issued Continue reading
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
Valdosta, February 28, 2016 — Two VSU students took First and Second Prizes Saturday for logos for
the
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT),
at a Workshop at VSU, with an art exhibit and silent auction,
and talks on history, archaeology, hydrogeology, and safety,
organized by WWALS Watershed Coalition, the Waterkeeper® Affiliate for the Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha, and upper Suwannee Rivers.
“These logo winners reflect the beauty and unusual nature of our blackwater rivers,”
said logo contest organizer Julie Bowland, a VSU Art Professor.
She aded,
“I’ve already heard talk that we may use both of these logos, one for color, and one for black and white.”
Eboni Patterson (center) won First Prize for the circle logo.
Ann Reid (left) won Second Prize for the river trace logo.
Both were congratulated by contest organizer Julie Bowland,
who handed them checks from WWALS.
The prizes were contributed by Continue reading
This Saturday, day after tomorrow, is the Withlacoochee and Little River Workshop
at VSU!
Art exhibit and auction organizer Julie Bowland sent these pictures by Bryan Garris, saying:
I will have an assortment of painting sizes on easels. I’m thinking there will be around 20 easel works and a table full of matted photographs. There will be a minimum bid set by individual artists, with 20% going to WWALS.
You can also bring your own artwork or objects to donate to WWALS for auction. See you there! Continue reading
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
Commissioners from counties on both sides of the Suwannee River saw the sinkholes and big oaks and pines directly above and near where
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
Update 2020-01-25: Superseded by WWALS Suwannee River Basin Map and All Landings in the Suwannee River Basin, now that Suwannee Riverkeeper territory includes the entire Basin plus Estuary, since Waterkeeper Alliance agreed to add the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers on September 26, 2019.
Update 2017-10-30:
River flowlines.
Update 2017-10-08:
Better colors plus a Suwannee River Basin map.
Update 2017-04-13: Since December 2016 WWALS Watersheds have included the Lower Suwannee River HUC 03110205
and the Suwannee River Estuary, approved by Waterkeeper Alliance the same time as the license for Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®.
Click on this link for an interactive google map of WWALS watersheds.
The images you see here are static screenshots of that google map. Follow the link above for the actual google map.
The watershed outlines are from Continue reading