The Gulf Restoration Network (GRN) has sent a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers requesting that the FERC submit a Supplementary Environmental Impact Statement to the Corps before the latter issues a permit for the Sabal Trail project. Groups signing on to this letter include Kioke-Flint Group, Sierra Club, Flint Riverkeeper, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc., Clean Water Network, Environment Florida, Our Santa Fe River Inc., and Earth Ethics.
The letter contains 52 pages and is thoroughly documented and fact filled indices. To see the entire document, go to this SEIS request from GRN Following are some excerpts from this letter:
We submit this letter on behalf of Gulf Restoration Network (“GRN”), a diverse coalition of individual citizens and local, regional, and national organizations committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the resources of the Gulf of Mexico. GRN has members across the Gulf who will be impacted by the Southeast Market Pipelines Project referenced above. We believe this proposal cannot be permitted in its present form.
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company LLC, Sabal Trail Transmission LLC, and Florida Southeast Connection, LLC (collectively, “Applicants”) have sought permitting under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Sections 10 and 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, for 1 2 the construction of the proposed Southeast Market Pipelines Project (“Project”). GRN most recently filed public comments related to the Project on December 11th, 2015 (Appendix A). This letter was submitted for the record to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”), the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the Georgia Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The need exists for a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (“SEIS”) that contains more robust water and wetland information, in order to gain fuller insight into the costs of this potential project.
To briefly summarize, GRN remains deeply concerned about the Project and its potential impacts to waterbodies and wetlands. FERC’s FEIS still hasn’t addressed components of the Project related to freshwater withdrawals and discharges, karst and sinkhole risks, and mitigation plans for impacted wetlands. We see a SEIS as a necessary tool to gain fuller insight into the costs of this proposal prior to any permit decisions by the Corps. Therefore, given the significant new information provided to the Corps that was unaddressed by the FEIS, we request a SEIS from the Corps on this project before the Southeast Market Pipeline proceeds in the permitting process.
12 Comments
We don’t need pipelines!!!!! We need Clean Energy!!!! Stop destroying & polluting Our planet for money! Stop the greed! Florida should be a leader in solar energy!!! Use common sense & do what The People want!!! NO Pipelines!
Spectra Energy has had many “impacts” or accidents if you will, their company has one of the worst safety records anywhere. It will go deep under rivers in fragile, limestone karst terrain. Yes indeed, WHY is it allowed where it can impact the aquifer? Because oil and gas companies buy our legislators and our lawmakers and decision makers, and this is made legal by our very own Supreme Court.
Ya Mike its always the Republicans. This pipeline is installed just below the ground and has no impact at all. If this type of work did impact the aquifer as someone implies, then why do we allow development within this area, that digs into the ground to a greater extent.
Get your heads out of your asses and do what the citizens of Florida want you to do. Stop this gas pipeline from going forward. We don’t want it and we don’t need it. This is the Sunshine State for god’s sake let’s use solar. Stop listening to and agreeing with big business. After all – YOU WORK FOR WE THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA!
It is not ecologically sound to put the gas pipeline through unconfined aquifer!
Heavy objection to this unneeded gas pipeline was raised by all three states’ citizens and environmental groups! FERC ignored legit reasons to say NO and approved this travesty! This agency is nothing more than a rubberstamper for the oil and gas industry!
We should be thinking solar, not gas….I really dislike politicians.
Water you gonna do when it’s gone?
F up. Folks, this is on us
HELL NO!! DON’T DRILL IN WATERS OR RUN YOUR SHIT THROUGH THEM! F OFF ASS HOLES! Y’ALL F’D UP THE WESTERN GULF ALREADY!!!
We MUST Protect our water resources, no energy demand is so great that we risk the chance of ruining something that is essential to all LIFE.
The arrogance of State Republicans law makers continue to destroy our state, all for money in their pockets. When will voters see the truth and vote them out of office? When will Democrats run a smart campaign and expose Republicans, instead of promises of free give-a-ways like free tokens at the State Fair?