On the front page of the newspaper of record in the biggest city in the Suwannee River Basin, yesterday in the Valdosta Daily Times, is a story by Terry Richards about the GA-PSC report on the AGL pipeline and the August 2018 Homerville, GA explosion that destroyed a coffeeshop and sent three women to the hospital with third-degree burns.
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The VDT did a bit of reporting by contacting AGL and its contractor: Continue reading
Yesterday, the Chair of Waterkeepers Florida received a resolution sponsored by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried and “signed by Governor DeSantis and the full Cabinet, recognizing the month of April as Water Conservation Month in Florida.” This is a good thing, but we should keep our eyes open about Florida’s current cabinet.
![[WKA FL Chair, Governor, Cabinet]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-04-02--fl-water-conservation-month/56161722_10157635950051162_4954783867346092032_n.jpg)
Left to right: Lisa Rinaman for WKA FL, unknown, Gov. Ron DeSantis, FDEP Secretary Noah Valenstein,
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, unknown, Attorney General Ashley Moody,
and Chief Financial Office Jimmy Patronis.
Commissioner Fried presented the resolution to Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper and Chair of Waterkeepers Florida. Read the resolution declaring April as Water Conservation Month here.
“On behalf of Waterkeepers Florida, we thank Commissioner Fried, Governor DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet for designating April as Water Conservation Month. Water conservation is critical to the work we do to protect and restore Florida’s waters. We applaud this resolution and the Cabinet’s commitment to conserving Florida’s waters and the opportunity to partner with our leaders to protect our waters for future generations,” said Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper.
On St. Johns Riverkeeper’s facebook page, yesterday: Continue reading
Both houses of the Georgia General Assembly have passed a bill to regulate PFAS fluorinated firefighting chemicals, such as spilled at Moody Air Force Base and the other two Georgia AF bases. If the governor signs it, this bill will become law.
The bill is rather limited in scope, basically only Continue reading
Thanks to Prof. Cristobal Serrán-Pagán and the VSU Philosophy and Religious Studies Club for organizing this Panel Discussion on the Environment with Valdosta Public Works Director Richard Hardy, VSU Geology Prof. Don Thieme, and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman.
When: 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m., Thursday, April 18th, 2019
Where: Odum Library Auditorium, 500 N Patterson St, Valdosta, GA 31698
![[Valdosta Public Works Director Richard Hardy, Prof. Donald M. Thieme, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-04-18--vsu-panel/Panel-Discussion-on-the-Environment-April-2019-0001.jpg)
Valdosta Public Works Director Richard Hardy, Prof. Donald M. Thieme, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman
PDF
Who:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PDF)
Submissions open for Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest
Hahira, Georgia, April 1, 2019 — No fooling but fun: today songwriters can start submitting new songs about the Suwannee, Withlacoochee, Alapaha, or Little Rivers, or other lakes, swamps, springs, or sinks in the Suwannee River Basin. New this year is a separate winner category for finalists younger than eighteen, in the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. Well-known radio personality Chris Beckham will be the Master of Ceremonies inside in air conditioning Saturday afternoon, August 24, 2019, at The Salty Snapper in Valdosta, Georgia. Three judges will select winners as finalists play. Snacks are included, plus a silent auction and kayak raffle. Come have some family musical fun supporting your local nonprofit WWALS Watershed Coalition and Suwannee Riverkeeper.
Photo: Bret Wagenhorst, of Emmett Carlisle playing at the 2018 Contest
Last year’s winner, Laura D’Alisera has driven from Jacksonville for every contest organizing committee meeting this year, and will sing this year while the judges are judging. She says, “To encourage working songwriters, this year we will Continue reading
Update 2019-04-04: Actually the gas did go through a sewer pipe; AGL didn’t locate or mark that pipe, either. And the GA-PSC report was on the front page yesterday of the newspaper of the largest city in the Suwannee River Basin.
Maybe the gas didn’t go up a sewer pipe to the coffee shop after all. And in its long-awaited report, Pipeline Safety at the Georgia Public Service Commission is not letting AGL hand the blame to its contractors. This recommended fine does not look like the previous slap on the wrist.
![[Filed]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-03-29--ga-psc-agl-report/2019-03-29--ga-psc-agl-report-filed-0001.jpg)
GA-PSC says AGL failed to locate and mark its pipeline in use
and failed to locate “their abandoned natural gas facility at 107 Courtland Ave.,”
which is the address of the Coffee Corner which blew up in August 2017 2018
and sent three women to the hospital with third-degree burns.
PROBABLE VIOLATION: AGLC failed to consider the use of a valve to stop the flow of gas, or to check the surrounding buildings and confined areas, during the response to this incident, as required by their procedures.
But those are just in the first two items, which only got a $15,000 recommended fine each. The same $15,000 level of fine is recommended for AGL’s failures to test its personnel for drug or alcohol after the incident.
The big item, with a $2,245,000 fine, is for AGL failing Continue reading
Update 2019-05-22: Moved by the Outings Committee to Allen Ramp on the Withlacoochee River to Suwannee River State Park.
This is a 12 mile paddle on the Suwannee River. We will meet at Deese-Howard Public Boat Ramp at 8:30 to unload kayaks and gear before the 12 mile shuttle to Gibson County Park begins at 9 a.m. You will probably need to use the Lat/Long coordinates with your GPS to find the ramp easier.
We will pass Holton Creek River Camp, where we will stop for a break and a swim.
Just before the takeout this section of the river also includes the Alapaha Rise, an interesting natural feature that is worth the short side trip.
When: Gather 8:30 AM, Launch 10AM, Saturday, June 1, 2019
Put In: Deese Howard Boat Ramp, 107th Road, Live Oak, FL 32060, Suwannee County.
GPS: 30.41439, -82.96292
Take Out: Gibson Park Ramp, 6844 SW CR 751, Jasper, FL 32052. From Jasper, Hamilton County, FL, travel southwest on SW CR 249 to SW CR 751; turn left and boat ramp is on the right in Gibson County Park, in Hamilton County.
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!
Photo: Beth Gammie, of
Alapaha River Rise, on Southwings flight for WWALS with pilot E.M. Beck, 2016-11-23.
Update 2019-04-11: The meeting location has changed, to VSU Odum Library Rm # 2633.
Announcement
WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting
2:00-4PM, Sunday, 14 April 2019
Room 2633, Odum Library, Valdosta State University,
1500 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31698
Parking: Oak St. Deck, entrance off of N. Oak Street, across from Brookwood Drive.
Odum Library: green circle top center; Oak St. Deck: blue circle left center.
Dial-in Number (has changed): (712) 770-5505
Meeting ID: 855676
facebook event
Wastewater spills, water quality monitoring, water trails, paddle races, songwriting contest, Paddle Georgia, Alapaha Quest, festivals, projects and programs, pipelines, LNG export, phosphate mines, and more.
Invited to attend: WWALS members, especially committee members, and the general public.
All WWALS Board Members are expected to attend in person or by telephone.
The more done on the board list, the less time we have to spend in this meeting.
Update 2019-04-08: slides and video.
In Suwannee County, Florida, at the Live Oak Woman’s Club, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman will talk about what WWALS does and how people can help. Thanks to Eileen Box and the Club for the invitation.
When: noon, Friday, April 5, 2019
Where: Woman’s Club of Live Oak, 1308 11th St SW, Live Oak, FL 32064
Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman speaking with all nine Georgia Riverkeepers, 2019-02-06
I will talk about Valdosta sewage spills, Georgia Sewage Spills Reports, other E. coli in the rivers, water quality testing and how you can help test, and on April 10th Florida counties Rivers Task Force meets Valdosta City Council.
Have some fun with us, too, August 24th at the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
Race or just paddle April 27th at the BIG Little River Paddle Race, or join us for a week, June 15-21, with 300 people on Paddle Georgia down Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers, ending with the Final Feast catered by WWALS at Advent Christian Village in Dowling Park, Friday, June 21st. Or join us in our watery living room April 19th and every full moon sunset at Continue reading
Update 2019-08-01: And the winner is….
Thanks to some generous WWALS members, we are raffling off a Hobie Mirage Outback kayak, 12′ 9″ long by 34″ wide, with pedals, rudder, and wheels. New it lists for $2700. This one obviously is used, but it is still worth over a thousand dollars. See below for tickets, drawing, and specifications.
Photo: John S. Quarterman at Suwannee Spring Reunion, 2019-03-21.
Tickets are $5 each or five for $20. You can get them Continue reading
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