Tag Archives: WWALS

Sabal Trail could affect Green Swamp –Daily Commercial on WWALS petition to FL-DEP

A Sumter County paper adds some local details of the possible ill effects of the Sabal Trail pipeline on the Green Swamp and other waterways, drawing its main story about the WWALS petition to FL-DEP from the Gainesville Sun article. And see further developments.

Scott Callahan and Christopher Curry Halifax Media Group, Daily Commercial, 2 September 2015, Proposed natural gas pipeline draws petition,

In Lake County, the pipeline will cross wetlands and possibly impact the Green Swamp and flows of the Little and Big Creeks, according to the Lake County Water Authority.

“The flows from these two creeks are vital Continue reading →

AES Port of Palm Beach LNG export at end of Transco → Sabal Trail → FSC pipeline chain

A company from Wyoming based in Chicago was rubberstamped in November 2013 to export liquid natural gas (LNG) from the Port of Palm Beach, and it can transport LNG “over highways and/or by rail”. Advanced Energy Solutions (AES) intends to get its fracked methane from Floridian Natural Gas Storage Company (FLiNG), which is conveniently located right where the Transco → Sabal Trail → FSC pipeline chain goes in Martin County, FL. This LNG approval was done without public hearings, with public input hidden, and with a clause to hide LNG export contract details. This they claim is “consistent with the public interest”. And this only one of four LNG export operations right where this pipeline chain goes. Yet neither Sabal Trail nor FERC ever said anything about LNG export until questioned by local citizens. And then they had little or no comment.

This AES LNG export operation was approved for Martin County, Florida 14 November 2013, one month after Continue reading →

Hamilton County legislative delegation in Jasper 5:30 PM today 2015-09-03

Tonight Hamilton County, FL residents (or others) have an opportunity to express their concerns to their Florida statehouse delegation, for example about FL-DEP’s dismissal with prejudice and refusal to consider the real issues in WWALS’ amended petition against Sabal Trail drilling under the Suwannee River.

Bill Montford, FL Senate District 3 According to the Jasper News last week,

The Hamilton County Legislative Delegation consisting of Senator Bill Montford and Representative Elizabeth Porter will be holding a public hearing in Jasper on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 5:30 p.m. in the Hamilton County Courthouse, 207 Northeast First St., Jasper.

All residents and elected officials are invited to attend. This hearing will allow residents of Hamilton County the opportunity to meet their legislators, discuss concerns, ask questions and offer comments for the 2016 legislative session, which convenes Jan. 12.

Continue reading →

WWALS petition against Sabal Trail dismissed by FL-DEP on technicality, not real issues

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WWALS petition against Sabal Trail dismissed by FL-DEP on technicality, not real issues

2015-09-04: New DEP message, new press release.

September 3rd, 2015, Jasper, Florida — Despite the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FL-DEP)’s Order of yesterday dismissing WWALS’ amended petition with prejudice on a technicality, including an attempt to deny FL-DEP’s responsibilities to the citizens of Florida, WWALS and WWALS-FL continue to point out the obvious: Spectra Energy’s proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline is not in the public interest, would interfere with property rights far beyond the crossing of the Suwannee River, would not maintain natural conditions, and could have severe adverse effects on fish, wildlife, public recreation, and navigation, especially if it blew up like a Spectra Energy pipeline did in May under the Arkansas River.

Hamilton County, FL resident Deanna Mericle, who wrote much of the WWALS amended petition that was dismissed, responds,

“DEP is doing a disservice to the citizens of Hamilton and Suwannee Counties by not hearing the legitimate argument and hiding behind a questionable technicality. I am sorely disappointed but not surprised.”

Yesterday WWALS received Continue reading →

The state has turned its back on our own ability to regulate this industries. –Carlos Guillermo Smith on WFTV 2015-09-01

An Orlando TV station investigates the pipeline pushers WWALS: Is that the kind of company we want drilling under our rivers and through the fragile limestone? -jsq and finds both them and Sabal Trail wanting, digging up some new evidence of apparent back-room collusion.

Christopher Heath, WFTV, 1 September 2015, 9 Investigates new Florida natural gas pipeline,

Spectra of Houston, TX and Sabal Trail pipeline AL,GA,FL A third natural gas pipeline is in the works for Florida. But, even as the power companies pushing the plan tout the need for increased natural gas in the state, questions are being raised about the company actually building the pipeline.

PHMSA fines The web version goes into PHMSA fines and Continue reading →

Sabal Trail faces opposition in Florida and Georgia –Palm Beach Post

The evidence stacks up against the three-part pipeline, Sabal Trail, Florida Southeast Connection, and Hillabee Expansion Project, despite rote denials by FPL and Sabal Trail. And this article ties the WWALS petition against drilling under the Suwannee River with the Georgia opposition to a compressor station in Albany.

Susan Salisbury, Palm Beach Post, 31 August 2015, Gas pipeline slated to supply FPL’s plants faces opposition,

A proposed $3.5 billion natural gas pipeline is either essential to Florida’s energy future or a looming disaster that has the potential to damage the iconic Suwannee River and the state’s fragile limestone Floridan Aquifer on its way to Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast….

In recent months, concerns have been raised Continue reading →

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., Petitioners, vs. SABAL TRAIL TRANSMISSION, LLC and STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, Respondents 2015-08-28

Filed 28 August 2015 (PDF). -jsq

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

STATE OF FLORIDA

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

 

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.,

Petitioners,

 

vs.

 

SABAL TRAIL TRANSMISSION, LLC and

STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,

Respondents.

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OGC Case No.: 15-0468

Petition for Administrative Hearing:

Florida Department of

Environmental Protection’s intent to issue Environmental Resource Permit

Petitioner:   

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc.   

P.O. Box 88

Hahira, GA 31632

wwalswatershed@gmail.com

WWALS Watershed Coalition Florida Inc.
Chris and Deanna Mericle
(386) 938-5943 or (321) 431-3204 or (386) 855-5096
7712 SW 32nd Lane
Jasper, FL 32052
mericle.deanna@gmail.com
cjmericle@gmail.com

Stamped cover pagePermit applicant: Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC.

400 Colonial Center Parkway, Suite 300

Lake Mary, FL 32746

Department Permit file number: 0328333-001

Counties affected by the permitted activity: Hamilton, Suwannee, Gilchrist, Alachua, Levy, Citrus, Marion, Sumter, Lake, Polk, Orange, Osceola. Affected counties represented by WWALS: Hamilton, Suwannee, Madison.

Date Petitioner became aware Continue reading →

Why is Florida DEP trusting this company with our valuable natural resources? –WWALS to FL-DEP in Florida Bulldog

The reporter quoted extensively from the WWALS amended petition, and got responses from Spectra Energy and the Florida governor’s office. Spectra claimed it’s safer than other pipeline companies, which is like saying one cigarette is safer than another. You know what’s safer? Stop smoking! And stop building pipelines: go straight to solar power for the Sunshine State.

Dan Christensen, Florida Bulldog, Pipeline foes ask DEP to deny key permit; Cite ‘conflict of interest’ by Gov. Scott,

Opponents of a proposed natural gas pipeline in North Florida are asking Florida regulators to reject the project, citing both dangers to the environment and a “conflict of interest” by the regulators’ boss, Gov. Rick Scott.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced in July its intention to award a crucial environmental permit and rights to drill beneath riverbeds that would allow Houston-based Spectra Energy (NYSE:SE) to construct the controversial, $3-billion Sabal Trail Transmission.

State records show Continue reading →

WWALS files fresh challenge to Sabal Trail with FL-DEP –Gainesville Sun

Yep, we created a Florida subsidiary, and lots of new members joined WWALS in order to get listed in the amended petition (PDF).

Chris Curry, Gainesville Sun (also Ocala StarBanner, and Energy Global World Pipelines), 1 September 2015, Natural gas pipeline permit challenged,

Two weeks after the Florida Department of Environmental Protection rejected a Georgia group’s petition to challenge a DEP permit for the Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline, the WWALS Watershed Coalition — an advocacy group focused on the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little and Upper Suwannee rivers in Georgia and Florida — has filed another petition.

The DEP general counsel will now review this petition and decide whether to allow it to proceed to the state Division of Administrative Hearings.

The story notes DEP claimed WWALS hadn’t dotted enough is and crossed enough ts, but now we have: Continue reading →

Valdosta rains sewage down Sugar Creek into Withlacoochee River 2015-08-28

Valdosta can’t blame this one on rain upstream: it fell directly on Valdosta, and once again the same Meadowbrook Drive neighborhood that’s been getting doused in sewage since 2009 saw it surging out of a manhole, after three other streets got it. Valdosta says it reported all this to GA-EPD, but good luck finding it (or anything else) on EPD’s website. Once again Valdosta on its own website didn’t even say which river Sugar Creek dumps into, US 41 (North Valdosta Road), Withlacoochee River but Florida figured it out, and ain’t happy. The Florida Department of Health advisory is findable, and news media and SRWMD picked that up. Maybe Valdosta’s ongoing force main project will fix these overflows: bids were requested earlier that same month for more parts of that project. Maybe Valdosta could try to explain itself better in its own press releases?

Valdosta News, 29 August 2015, Update: Overflows Stopped, Continue reading →