This is Amazing –People One, Money Zero

Here is a state agency which has refused to issue a permit to a moneyed group, after listening to the people, to the tune of three thousand comments.  This is refreshing.  This needs to be sent to a lot of agencies in Florida.  This needs to be sent to Rick Scott.  This needs to be sent to the Florida DEP.  And to FERC.   This is amazing.

Thanks to John Quarterman, Spectra Busters and many others.

Notice that the first reason that pipeline CEO Ron McClain gave as a reason that the pipe was in the best interests of Georgia’s consumers was “…lower costs.”  That says a lot.   That is his mind-set.

This pipe was not going to cross the Santa Fe, but it was coming to Florida.  This is a little bit like the anti-fracking fervor, maybe they can’t find gas under Columbia County, but far-thinking commissioners like those in Alachua County saw the issue as symbolic and one of solidarity and importance to our environment.  So yes, this is important to the Santa Fe because it is threatened by Sabal Trail.  And yes, Kinder Morgan is a bit like Sabal Trail.

What Florida and the Santa Fe are agencies like this one in Georgia.   Please read what follows, it is quite refreshing.  

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) –

On Tuesday, The Georgia Department of Transportation announced it is not granting Kinder Morgan’s request for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.

That would have allowed the company to invoke “eminent domain” to seize private owned land in order to build the Palmetto Pipeline.

In it’s official statement, GDOT said, “After careful consideration of information in the application submitted by Kinder Morgan on behalf of Palmetto; numerous public comments submitted at seven (7) public meetings held by Palmetto; two (2) public hearings hosted by the Georgia DOT; and approximately 3000 public comments submitted online and by mail to myself and the Utilities staff, the Department has determined that it will not issue a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.”

Pipeline company Kinder Morgan wants to build the $1 billion pipeline, that would transport gasoline, ethanol, and diesel from Belton, South Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida.

Kinder Morgan believes there is an economic need for an additional line across hundreds of miles in Georgia. Opponents say the impact of any potential leak to surrounding ground and water is not worth the risk.

“I just felt like it was a righteous cause, and I feel like whatever else they did, Kinder Morgan mishandled the whole thing and underestimated Georgia citizens,” said K.C. Allan with Push Back the Pipeline. “Their business model is out-moded. Our needs for fossil fuels in Georgia are dramatically going down every year without any impact to prosperity, commerce, or population growth.”

The decision can be appealed. Kinder Morgan officials said they plan to pursue options which could set up a legal fight in court to try and get the project to move forward.
Kinder Morgan’s President Ron McClain released the following statement:

“We are disappointed with the outcome of our proceedings with the Georgia DOT. We believe that we have more than adequately demonstrated that this project is in the best interests of Georgia’s consumers, as it will result in lower costs and provide safer transportation of refined petroleum products to many areas in the Southeast, including specifically many communities in Georgia. The fact the proposed pipeline is fully supported by long-term commitments from multiple customers seeking safer and more efficient supply options, and that it was so vehemently opposed by certain existing refined petroleum suppliers with vested economic interests in maintaining the status quo of artificially higher prices, is itself compelling evidence that the pipeline will serve needs that are not being met by current supply options. We continue to believe in the viability of the project and its economic benefits to the Southeast region and Georgia in particular, and we plan to pursue all available options to move forward with the project.”
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