Tag Archives: Law

Georgia Power can’t get a schedule from its own contractors for Vogtle nuclear project

After two years of no integrated project schedule (IPS),
Georgia Power tried to get the
the elected Public Service Commissioners to
tell it how to enforce a contract for Plant Vogtle that Georgia Power
brought to them.
This video clip ends with formerly staunch pro-nuclear Commissioner
H. Doug Everett saying any company that did that probably would be imprudent.
And Everett also said:

We haven’t seen any results.


Georgia Power’s representative, I think Rob Trokey, said:

We have agreed haven’t we that
the company does not manage this project.
They oversee it,
they may report to this commission the status of it,
but it does not manage this project.

Answer from the Commission:

It doesn’t.

So who does?
According to Georgia Power: Continue reading →

Solar bills in the Georgia legislature

Every year since about 2000 one or more solar bills have been
before the Georgia legislature to modify the
1973 Territorial Electric Service Act
to enable solar financing.


2015 could be the year one of them finally passes,
what with

influential people finally waking up
to the cost-saving and energy-independence power of solar panels.
If you want

real energy reliability, lower power bills, and local jobs,
you can help pass whichever bill gets before the legislature this year,
and right now is a good time to help draft that bill.

Here are a few recent bills.

Rooftop solar catching on; 1973 anti-finance law really needs fixing

People are starting to wake up as the solar sun rises above their horizon.
This could be the year the Georgia legislature finally passes a bill
to amend the law that inhibits solar financing.
Even the City of Valdosta seems suddenly interested in helping with that.

Michael Caputo and Grant Blankenship, GPB, 12 December 2014,

(VIDEO) Will Solar Power’s Surge in Georgia Make It To Homeowners?,



Early adopter Creighton Rosental of Macon is what you’d call a solar
pioneer. The early adopter said that he had the 4-kilowatt panels
installed on the backyard side of his roof about five years ago.
Two-thirds of the upfront cost—about $30,000—was covered
by a federal tax credit and a Georgia state credit.

“They built a frame and mounted it to the roof, which was a
substantial fairly substantial enterprise.” Rosental said.

Continue reading →

Valdosta Passes Resolution Against Sabal Trail Pipeline: not in this city, this county, or this state @ VCC 2014-12-11


Go away, Sabal Trail:



NOW THEREFORE,
be it resolved that the City of Valdosta supports the
Lowndes County Board of Commissioners in their opposition to the
construction of the Sabal Trail pipeline in any portion of Lowndes
County. The City’s support includes concerns with fundamental
property rights, the manner in which eminent domain might be
utilized, and the lack of demonstrated benefit to the City and
County. Furthermore, the City of Valdosta supports the Lowndes
County Commission in their formal request to the Federal Energy
Regulation Commission (FERC), and to State and Federal Legislators
in the effort to have Lowndes County and the State of Georgia
bypassed in the construction of the proposed pipeline.

Here is Continue reading →

Resolution against Sabal Trail pipeline + 3-1 ordinances @ VCC 2014-12-11



The resolution against the Sabal Trail pipeline, including to be filed with FERC, was

passed 6 to 1 by the Valdosta City Council Thursday 11 December 2014,
supporting

the resolution the Lowndes County Commission passed unanimously Tuesday,
plus

a clause about protecting our drinking water in the Floridan Aquifer; see
separate post.
John Robinson

thanked the city for a VSEB contract.
The

personal care home rezoning passed.
The

taxicab ordinance was deferred (not all cab company owners had been consulted yet), while two others passed.
Also

some bids rejected
while

others

were

approved,
a reappointment of

Tom Kurrie to the Valdosta Housing Authority,
and
recognized

employee of the month Terrial Small.

Here’s

the agenda.
For background, see the

videos of the Tuesday Work Session,
including

a bomb report by Police Chief Childress.
The videos from the Thursday Regular Session are linked below,
followed by a video playlist.

Continue reading →

Against Sabal Trail pipeline + 3 ordinances + bomb report @ VCC 2014-12-09



The Valdosta City Council

discussed
a

resolution against the Sabal Trail pipeline
at their Work Session Tuesday, as you can see in these videos.
Come see them vote on it tonight at 5:30 PM
at City Hall.

They also heard

a bomb report at the Work Session,
in addition to discussing all the other business,
especially the taxicab ordinance.

At the same time Tuesday,
the Lowndes County Commission

unanimously Continue reading →

Thanks for concern about drinking water from the Floridan Aquifer –Don Thieme about Valdosta draft resolution against Sabal Trail pipeline @ VCC 2014-12-09

Water matters, too, said a comment yesterday on

We all live in Lowndes County: Valdosta Draft Resolution Against Sabal Trail Pipeline @ VCC 2014-12-09.
The Valdosta City Council votes tonight at 5:30 PM on this resolution.
And don’t forget to get your comments or motions to intervene to FERC
before the deadline of 24 December 2014.
-jsq



Many thanks to Tim Carroll for adding

the part about this important environmental issue which

affects everyone in the city of Valdosta
and Lowndes County as well. This is not just about the property
rights of a few concerned citizens although those are important as
well and demand protection from elected politicians.

–Don Thieme

Probation, Sabal Trail, budget, calendar, appointments, Thomas County Commission @ TCC 2014-12-09



The

Sabal Trail pipeline
and

probation payments were
major issues at the Thomas County Commission 9AM Tuesday 9 December 2014.

Sheriff R. Carlton Powell noted that private probation company
Sentinel, which he said serves Lowndes County, was involved in

several lawsuits.

Here’s the agenda,
and below are links to the videos, followed by a video playlist.

Continue reading →

Spectra backtracks on eminent domain in VDT



Sabal Trail tries to teach us how to read, plus redefining centuries
of common law.

Joe Adgie wrote for the VDT today 3 December 2014,

Sabal Trail: Accusations ‘lack any substance’,

Two representatives with Sabal Trail Transmission disputed
complaints from property owners in correspondence with The Valdosta
Daily Times and with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.


Lisa Connolly, general manager of rates and certificates for Sabal
Trail, said that letters sent to property owners should be read in a
different light than was presented.

“A fair reading of these letters Continue reading →

Moultrie wasn’t asked about MGAG gas from Sabal Trail –WCTV

Spectra starts trying to walk back its previous eminent domain statements,
as WCTV reveals
MGAG didn’t ask Moultrie before saying Colquitt County needed gas
from Sabal Trail,
and even MGAG says that deal wouldn’t (yet) affect eminent domain.


300x172 Winnie Wright with eminent domain letter, in Spectra backtracks about MGAG on WCTV, by John S. Quarterman, 2 December 2014
Picking up where
the VDT left the MGAG Sabal Trail gas eminent domain story,
Winnie Wright waved the bloody letter on WCTV yesterday 2 December 2014,
New Sabal Trail Project Has Many South Georgia Residents Worried About Eminent Domain,
and after quoting the eminent domain threat from that Sabal Trail attorney letter, said: Continue reading →