FOR IMMEDIATE-RELEASE

Salt Lake City, Utah, May June 9, 2017 — Friday morning, FERC staff granted Sabal Trail’s request to turn on the gas, saying it trusted the pipeline company to handle remaining landowner issues and “punch-list” items, despite objections from WWALS, Sierra Club, Flint Riverkeeper, and many others. Before noon, the worldwide Waterkeeper Alliance passed a resolution to join the effort to reform FERC; a resolution written by WWALS and Flint Riverkeeper.

Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers made the motion and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman seconded; they also wrote the resolution.

Quarterman explained:

“While the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is a U.S. agency, its actions affect the whole world, because much of the gas in the interstate natural gas pipelines FERC rubberstamps is for export.

“Even with Sabal Trail, the fight is not over. The case brought against FERC by Sierra Club, Flint Riverkeeper, and Chattahoochee Riverkeeper has not been decided. Even if the gas keeps flowing, we all have to watch for sinkholes, leaks, polluted wells and explosions.

“Any money spent on new fossil fuel projects would be better spent on clean sun and wind power, especially now that more new U.S. electricity last year came from solar power than any other source, and the solar industry employs more people in electricity generation than coal, oil, and gas combined.”

There’s still time to Call the U.S. Senate Committee to oppose FERC nominees unless they vow to turn the Commission towards the sun. Here are other things you can do to help reform FERC.

About WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS)

WWALS has opposed Sabal Trail since 2013. WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, and Suwannee River watersheds in south Georgia and north Florida through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities. John S. Quarterman is the Suwannee Riverkeeper&regp, which is a staff position and a project of WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) as the Member of the Waterkeeper® Alliance for the Suwannee River basin.

Contact:

WWALS Watershed Coalition
P.O. Box 88
Hahira, GA 31632
wwalswatershed@gmail.com
850-290-2350
John S. Quarterman, Suwannee Riverkeeper
contact@suwanneeriverkeeper.org
229-242-0102

FERC Reform Resolution text

Here is the text of the resolution passed today by Waterkeeper Alliance:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Gulf and South Atlantic Waterkeeper Alliance Members and Affiliates hereby request the Waterkeeper Alliance to officially and forcefully join in the national effort to reform FERC at the U.S. Congressional level and to cause Waterkeeper staff to engage directly with those leaders in the Waterkeeper movement who are working on this project, and to provide all political leverage, practical support, and other resources that are appropriate, using social media and public relations resources, to raise this work to very high profile within the Alliance’s Clean Energy Campaign.

FERC Order granting Sabal Trail’s in-service request

Filed with FERC as Accession Number 20170609-3016, June 9, 2017, “Letter order granting Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC’s 5/17/17, as supplemented on 5/26/17, request to commence service of certain Phase I Facilities for the Sabal Trail Project under CP15-17.”

See also Word and PDF versions on the WWALS website.

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FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20426

OFFICE OF ENERGY PROJECTS

In Reply Refer To:

OEP/DG2E/Gas Branch 3

Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC

Sabal Trail Project

Docket No. CP15-17-000

§375.308(x)

June 9, 2017

Ms. Lisa A. Connolly

General Manager, Rates and Certificates

Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC

5400 Westheimer Court, Suite 6N61

Houston, TX 77056

Re: Authorization to Commence Service of Phase I Facilities

Dear Ms. Connolly:

I grant Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC’s (Sabal Trail) May 17, 2017 request, as supplemented on May 26, 2017 and June 2, 2017, to commence service of certain Sabal Trail Project Phase I Facilities. Specifically, I authorize Sabal Trail to place into service the following facilities:

• 482.4 miles of mainline (and associated appurtenances) between the northern interconnect in Tallapoosa County, Alabama and the southern interconnect in Osceola County, Florida;

• Alexander City Compressor Station in Tallapoosa County, Alabama;

• Reunion Compressor Station in Osceola County, Florida; and

• Transco Hillabee, Gulfstream, and FSC Meter and Regulator Stations.

Your request complies with environmental condition 9 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (Commission) February 2, 2016 Order Issuing Certificates and Approving Abandonment (Order). This authorization is based on my staff’s most recent field inspection, ongoing observations and reports provided by the Commission’s third-party compliance monitors, my staff’s determination that rehabilitation and restoration of affected areas is proceeding satisfactorily, and the statements and commitments made in your request pertaining to the status of affected lands, complete restoration, and successful revegetation.

As stated in your request, Sabal Trail commits to addressing the remaining “punch-list” items and any landowner concerns that arise. Sabal Trail will continue monitoring affected lands, identified karst features, and vegetation growth; and as necessary address any issues concerning these resources. Lastly, Sabal Trail commits to retain environmental inspectors and keep the appropriate contractors and equipment on-call to address restoration issues in a timely fashion. I believe these actions are appropriate and recommend that Sabal Trail also continue participation in the third-party compliance monitoring program until my staff determines that the remaining items on the current “punch-list” do not require oversight.

It is my expectation that these commitments will be honored and that any restoration issues that should arise will be addressed fully and promptly. I remind you that Sabal Trail must comply with all applicable remaining terms and conditions of the Order. If you have any questions regarding this authorization, please contact Mr. John Peconom, Environmental Project Manager at (202) 502-6352.

Sincerely,

J. Rich McGuire

Director, Division of Gas –
Environment and Engineering

cc: Public File, Docket No. CP15-17-000

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 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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