Organization Against Sabal Trail Pipeline Swells Across Florida
Savannah Elliott Posted On December 14, 2016
Though environmentalists might feel burnt out after an ongoing and exhaustive effort at Standing Rock, the fight for land preservation and clean energy has just begun. Activists in Florida are now joining the fight to resist the Sabal Trail Pipeline: another fossil-fuel backed initiative putting Florida’s wetlands, wildlife and water supply at severe risk.
Three energy companies: Spectra Energy, NextEra (Florida Power and Light), and Duke Energy have formed Sabal Trail Transmission (LLC) to build a pipeline for the transportation of natural gas. Spectra is a Houston-based company that is building and operating the 515-mile pipeline that will move one billion cubic feet of natural gas, or methane, per day from Tallapoosa County, Alabama through Georgia to Osceola County in Central Florida.
Photo taken by Savannah Elliott
The Sabal Trail pipeline is posing a great threat to southeast and its inhabitants. It is important to recognize that the 515 miles only represent the length of the pipeline. During construction, a 100-foot-wide space is cleared along the pipeline’s path, destroying a 51,500-mile total area of southeastern natural wildlife.
The pipeline is routed through 13 Florida counties including Marion, Suwannee, Alachua, and Gilchrist counties, which house a dense array of revered springs such as Ichetucknee and Ginnie Springs that are a visible depiction of Florida’s underground water supply. Because of the porous geology, springs form from some of Florida’s frequent sinkholes when they are deep enough to reach the aquifer.
The proximity of the pipeline to many of Florida’s springs is threatening the purity of more than 60% of the state’s drinking water by exposing one of the three aquifers to methane leaks, explosions, and pollution from construction. Additionally, new sinkholes have already formed due to the major strain construction has put on the land and its waterways.
Photo via Unsplash
Spectra Energy has filed 160 eminent domain lawsuits, meaning they are requesting from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) permission to forcefully set up construction on unwilling landowners’ property.
Spectra’s position is based solely on economic gain. They claim that Florida not only needs the transported natural gas, but also will thoroughly benefit economically from it. The economy certainly could improve from such a massive project; however, it is highly encouraged to consider the permanent costs and impacts in contrast to the benefits.
Photo taken by Brian Stinner
It is important to invest in and support alternative energy sources like these; however, the construction of Sabal Trail pipeline is still underway. Among many other pipelines across the country, including Dakota Access Pipeline that Standing Rock is still protesting, Sabal Trail only represents a localized problem the entire nation is facing.
Within the activist community there is an optimistic, but enlivening sentiment that the dispersed efforts of “water protectors” will coalesce and form a national force against furthering the fossil fuel industry. A hope exists that with loud, sensible voices working together in solidarity, our nation can make serious changes to our energy production and transportation.
Photo taken by Brian Stinner
With that being said, all voices matter and there are many ways to make yours heard. The pipeline is currently being constructed in multiple areas of Florida, so if Alachua county is not where you’ll be for the holidays make sure to check one of the links below or Facebook for local groups organizing against the pipeline in your area.
How to stop Sabal Trail Pipeline:
- Tell your friends and family about it.
- Check to see if your bank is invested in fossil fuels. Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and many others are paying for this and other pipelines. If so, divest from them.
- Efficient alternatives: Aspiration is an online banking system that reimburses all ATM fees, has an interest rate of up to 10%, and asks for a fee of your choice. Credit cards can be acquired directly from companies like Mastercard, Discover, and Visa.
- Contact your representatives in Congress and check out www.usa.gov/elected-officials to get in touch with your federal, state, and local elected leaders. By phone or email, tell them you strongly oppose the Sabal Trail Pipeline.
- Join organized protests and gatherings to raise awareness.
- www.facebook.com/StopSabalTrail provides the latest information and updates from active water protectors
- http://stopsabaltrailpipeline.blogspot.com/
- www.wwals.net
- www.sierraclub.org
- www.biologicaldiversity.org
- www.earthjustice.org
- www.sabaltrailtransmission.com
- http://maps.fractracker.org/latest/?webmap=8fe442005fb247078252cca29c6be42d an interactive map of the pipeline and nearby existing springs and sinkholes
- Again, please inform your friends and family.
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