Sabal protests continue

Published 6:45 am Thursday, February 11, 2016

VALDOSTA — The fight of Lowndes County residents against the Sabal Trail natural pipeline continued at the Lowndes County Commission meeting Tuesday.

During the Citizens to be Heard portion of the meeting, several residents spoke against the pipeline, Sabal Trail Transmission’s parent company Spectra Energy and the commission’s vote to approve an agreement with Sabal Trail for an easement in Clyattvile.

Speaking first, John Quarterman invited the members of the commission to a showing of “At What Cost?” in Live Oak, Fla., Friday.

The documentary, subtitled “Pipelines, Pollution and Eminent Domain in the Rural South” covers the possible side effects of building and operating natural gas pipelines in the Southeastern United States.

The side effects range from threatening residents with eminent domain to polluting drinking water, Quarteman said.

The documentary focuses on the building of the Kinder Morgan pipeline from coastal Georgia to Jacksonville, Fla.

“Almost all of the issues are the same,” Quarterman said.

The movie begins 6:30 p.m. Friday, Live Oak Women’s Club, 1308, 11th St. SW.

Jim Parker mentioned the time he first appeared before the commission and spoke in opposition to the pipeline.

“In November 2014,” Parker said, “I came before this body and pleaded with you to protect the citizens of Lowndes County.”

Parker read from the commission’s 2014 resolution to oppose the pipeline before calling Sabal Trail “rapacious.”

“How is it that a single corporation can have more power than all of the citizens of Lowndes County combined?” Parker said. “Fifty-four-thousand dollars to a multi-billion dollar company like Spectra is chump change.”

Michael Noll, president of the Wiregrass Activist for Clean Energy, said, “If you want more public interaction, you will only get that if people can trust you to keep your word.”

Noll referred to recent statements made by Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter during the 2016 annual planning meeting.

At the planning meeting, Slaughter told commissioners and appointed county officials that he wanted the county to increase interaction with county residents.

Mario Bartoletti spoke last, concentrating his words on the possible effect the pipeline would have on the surrounding residents and wetlands. 

Bartoletti referred to the Environmental Protection Agency’s original report saying the wetlands were prone to sinkholes. The EPA originally advised the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. 

While speaking to the commission, Bartoletti referred to a Time magazine article about the effects natural gas pipelines have had on people.

In 2015 and 2016, Time reported California residents have been made sick by gas leaks.

“Exposure to methane and natural gas,” Time reported in January 2016, “can cause headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea and vomiting, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.”

Residents have evacuated their homes due to gas leaks, Time reported.

Bartoletti turned his attention to younger residents who might be affected by gas leaks.

“And guess who the doctors say are suffering the most,” Bartoletti said. “The children.”

Jason Stewart is a reporter for the Valdosta Daily Times