\r\nThat’s in addition to through the old landfill site on Madison Highway,\r\nwhere \r\nLowndes County granted Sabal Trail an easement for only one pipeline back in 2016<\/a>; see also below<\/a>.\r\n<\/p> \r\nWhat “new high-volume customers” can you think of that would be enough to cause a whole new pipeline?\r\nI can’t think of any except hyper-scale AI datacenters.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\nA lobbyist for Sabal Trail met with Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter about “potential expansion of Sabal Trail” on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, \r\n<\/p> \r\nThis apparently irritated Lowndes County Manager Paige Dukes,\r\nbecause the lobbyist’s firm apologized to her the next day for “confusion on Monday around our meeting request.”\r\n \r\nBelinda Lovern\r\n<\/p> \r\nFrom: Joel Wiggins <wiggins@thesoutherngroup.com>\r\n \r\nAttachments: Sabal Trail Expansion and Extension Initial Project Fact Sheet 07092026.pdf; IMG_1985.jpeg\r\n<\/p> \r\nEXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click any links or open any attachments unless you trust the sender and know the content\r\nis safe.\r\n<\/p> \r\nGood Morning Paige,\r\n<\/p> \r\nI apologize for the confusion on Monday around our meeting request.\r\nDante on my team is a former ACCG employee and reached out directly\r\nto Chairman Slaughter due to his personal relationship. Typically, I\r\nwould reach out to you directly and I apologize for any confusion.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nWe were able to meet with the Chairman yesterday and update him on\r\nour potential expansion along the Sabal Trail. We are in the early\r\nstages of a proposed expansion and are meeting with local leaders in\r\nall counties. We anticipate that any improvements would take place\r\nwithin the ROW of the existing pipeline, but we wanted to touch base\r\nbefore landowner notices go out on 8\/1.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nPlease see attached for\r\n\r\n a fact sheet and map of the pipeline’s\r\nfootprint in the County. Thank you again for your time and we look\r\nforward to discussing further tomorrow.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nThanks again,\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nLAKE got these materials from Lowndes County in response to an open records request, and\r\nBelinda Lovern is the Lowndes County Clerk.\r\nAll these materials are\r\n\r\non the LAKE website<\/a>\r\nand images are below.\r\n<\/p> \r\nThat letter doesn’t say who Dante is, but\r\nDante Handel is listed \r\nThe Southern Group’s website<\/a> for their Atlanta office.\r\n \r\n\r\ntitle=”Dante Handel –The Southern Group” name=”Pics:Dante-Handel-The-Southern-Group”>\r\n \r\nAt the Department of Revenue, Dante’s versatility extended beyond\r\nlegislative affairs—he supported communications efforts,\r\nmanaged agency web content, clerked administrative hearings, and\r\ncompiled the state’s monthly income tax credit report.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nBuilding on his deep understanding of the tax code, Dante later\r\njoined the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), where\r\nhe represented all 159 counties on revenue and finance issues. His\r\nwork focused on high-profile legislation, including HB 581 (2024),\r\nthe statewide floating homestead exemption, and its subsequent\r\ncleanup bill, HB 92 (2025). Dante’s relationships reach across\r\nGeorgia’s local government landscape, including tax assessors,\r\ncommissioners, finance officers, and transportation leaders.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nA graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in political\r\nscience, Dante lives in Marietta with his wife, Abbye, and their two\r\ndogs.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<\/p> \r\nLinkedin \r\nstill shows him as “Associate, The Southern Group – Georgia”, “Oct 2025 – Present \u00b7 11 mos”<\/a>.\r\n<\/p> \r\nSo Dante wasn’t around back in 2016 when Bill Slaughter signed\r\nsigned an easement with Sabal Trail<\/a>.\r\nBut working at ACCG, GA DOR, and GA Senate, he would have gotten to know plenty of county commissioners.\r\n<\/p> \r\nJoel Wiggins attached the usual route maps, “Purpose and benefits,” and a map of the route through Lowndes County, Georgia.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nLowndes County got a letter about McIntyre Cemetery on August 3,\r\nfrom Walton Johnson, Supervisor Lands and ROW Gas Projects, Sabal Gas Transmission, LLC.\r\n<\/p> \r\nAccording to findagrave.com<\/a>,\r\nthat’s McIntyre Family Cemetery, also known as Old Redland (White) Cemetery.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nAttached to that letter were the same overall route maps and “Purpose and benefits” that you have already seen.\r\n<\/p> \r\nThe cemetery letter does not give a street address nor GPS coordinates, but it does\r\ninclude Lowndes County Parcel ID 0038 045, from which we can tell where it is,\r\non Knights Ferry Road, east of Ousley Road.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\nIt’s hard to tell where the old pipeline is on this map.\r\nBut if we zoom out, we can see where it gouged under the Withlacoochee River,\r\nand in the bottom right of the below map,\r\nwhere it crosses Rocky Ford Road.\r\nMcIntyre Cemetery is highlighted in between.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\nAccording to Sabal Trail’s own 2016 Alignment Maps, the old pipeline goes\r\n\r\neast of McIntyre Cemetery, on the other side of McGoggle Road<\/a>.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\nOn August 10, Lowndes County got another letter about McIntyre Cemetery, this time asking for authorization for a survey.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nAlso on August 10, Lowndes County got a request from Sabal Trail for survey authorization for the same two parcels from 2016,\r\nby the old landfill between Madison Highway and Railroad Avenue, south of Clyattville.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nOnce again, Sabal Trail did not say where the parcels are, other than\r\ntheir Parcel ID numbers: 0098 003, 0098 004.\r\nThey are between Railroad Avenue and Madison Highway.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\nThe other two pages of that letter are identical to the August 10 letter about McIntyre Cemetery, except for the parcel numbers.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nHere’s what Sabal Trail’s 2016 Alignment Maps show\r\n\r\nfor where the old pipeline goes through those parcels<\/a>.\r\n<\/p> \r\n\r\n \r\nThose maps aren’t on Sabal Trail’s own website anymore, but\r\n\r\nLAKE saved all of them<\/a>,\r\nwith a search function.\r\n<\/p> Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today<\/a>!\r\n \r\n -jsq\r\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Is anything sacred to a pipeline company? Apparently not, since Sabal Trail wants to drill through a cemetery, McIntyre Family Cemetery, aka Old Redland Cemetery, on Knights Ferry Road. See below. That’s in addition to through the old landfill site on Madison Highway, where Lowndes County granted Sabal Trail an easement for only one pipeline […]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2028,19,88,6687,1908,3,55],"tags":[8848,13717,13425,209,8701,8709,13716,9333,8702,12,7,13714,8734,13715,7964,13720,13721,6076,9093,8846,9020,13719,6597,13718,8700,6,13722,8727,58],"class_list":["post-26040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-clyattville","category-history","category-lowndes-county-commission","category-pipeline-2","category-religion","category-transparency","category-water","tag-clyattville","tag-dante-handel","tag-datacenter","tag-floridan-aquifer","tag-georgia","tag-history","tag-joel-wiggins","tag-knights-ferry-road","tag-lake","tag-lowndes-area-knowledge-exchange","tag-lowndes-county","tag-lowndes-county-chaiman-bill-slaughter","tag-lowndes-county-commission","tag-lowndes-county-manager-paige-dukes","tag-madison-highway","tag-mcintyre-cemetery","tag-old-redland-cemetery","tag-pipeline","tag-railroad-avenue","tag-religion","tag-rocky-ford-road","tag-sabal-trail-expansion","tag-sabal-trail-transmission","tag-the-southern-group-of-georgia","tag-transparency","tag-valdosta","tag-walton-johnson","tag-water","tag-withlacoochee-river"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26040"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26043,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26040\/revisions\/26043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"[Lowndes](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/many.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Lowndes County has been talking to Sabal Trail since July, about a second pipeline through McIntyre Cemetery on Knights Ferry Road, and the landfill on Madison Highway<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\nSabal Trail Intro from Joel Wiggins to Lowndes County Manager<\/a><\/h4>\r\n
\r\n
\r\nSent: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 11:24 AM\r\n
\r\nTo: County Manager\r\n
\r\nSubject: Sabal Trail Intro\r\n<\/p>![\"[Joel](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/small\/Wiggins_Joel_952-070bw-retouched-658x830.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\nJoel Wiggins\r\n
\r\nManaging Partner\r\n
\r\nThe Southern Group of Georgia\r\n
\r\nC: 404-971-2690\r\n
\r\nEmail: wiggins@thesoutherngroup.com\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<\/p>![\"[Sabal](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/2026-07-22--Sabal-Trail-Info.-Email-0001.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Sabal Trail Intro and apology<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
![\"[Dante](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/small\/Handel_Dante_021-031bw-retouched-658x830.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\nDante brings deep experience in Georgia’s legislative and revenue\r\narenas to The Southern Group, with a career rooted in public service\r\nand policy expertise. He began his work in state government with\r\nSenator Chuck Hufstetler, staffing the Senate Finance Committee,\r\nbefore joining the Georgia Department of Revenue’s legislative\r\naffairs team. There, he tracked hundreds of bills each session\r\nspanning income, sales, and property tax, motor vehicles, and\r\nregulated industries. Dante also played a key role in the landmark\r\nmarketplace facilitator bill that defined the taxability of digital\r\nsales in Georgia.\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Maps:](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/2026-07-22--Sabal-Trail-Info.-Email-0002.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Maps: Proposed Sabal Trail Transmission Expansion and Extension Development<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Purpose](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/2026-07-22--Sabal-Trail-Info.-Email-0003.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Purpose and benefits<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Map:](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/2026-07-22--Sabal-Trail-Info.-Email-0004.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Map: LOWNDES COUNTY, GEORGIA, Proposed Sabal Trail Pipeline<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\nMcIntyre Cemetery on Knights Ferry Road<\/a><\/h4>\r\n
![\"[Dear](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-3-2026-Sabal-Trail-Letter-to-McIntyre-Cemetary-and-Fact-Sheet-0001.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Dear McIntyre Cemetery: Re: Proposed Sabal Trail Extension and Sabal Trail Expansion, Tract # GA-LO-028.000.01, Parcel ID. # 0038 045<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Walton](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-3-2026-Sabal-Trail-Letter-to-McIntyre-Cemetary-and-Fact-Sheet-0002.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Walton Johnson, Supervisor Lands and ROW Gas Projects, Sabal Gas Transmission, LLC<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Map:](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/2026-08-30--map-mcintyre-cemetery-sabal-trail-lowndes-county--lowndes-county-tax-appraisers.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Map: Mcintyre Cemetery, Sabal Trail, Lowndes County 2026-08-30<\/a>\r\n—Lowndes County Tax Appraisers<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Map:](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/2026-08-30--map-sabal-trail-withlacoochee-river-mcintyre-cemetery-rocky-ford-road--lowndes-county-tax-appraisers.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Map: Sabal Trail, Withlacoochee River, Mcintyre Cemetery, Rocky Ford Road 2026-08-30 –Lowndes County Tax Appraisers<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[1657-PL-DG-70197-239,](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/20160407-5081-31369075-0004.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
1657-PL-DG-70197-239, STA. 12488+00 TO STA. 12541+00, PIPELINE FACILITY, (UNNAMED CREEK), 12511+97 CL KNIGHTS FERRY ROAD, LOWNDES COUNTY, GEORGIA, 2026-03-14, Sabal Trail Alignment Maps by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE)<\/a> https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/@30.7476520,-83.4075500,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0<\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Dear](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-10-2026-Sabal-Trail-Letter-to-McIntyre-Cemetary-0001.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Dear McIntyre Cemetery, c\/o Lowndes County: You were recently mailed a letter announcing that Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC….<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[landowner](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-10-2026-Sabal-Trail-Letter-to-McIntyre-Cemetary-0002.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
landowner hotline toll-free at 1-844-963-3337 or visit our website at https:\/\/www.sabaltrailtransmission.com\/Project.<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[SURVEY](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-10-2026-Sabal-Trail-Letter-to-McIntyre-Cemetary-0003.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
SURVEY AUTHORIZATION, Landowner Name: McIntyre Cemetery, c\/o Lowndes County, Tract # GA-LO-028.000.01, Tax Map\/ Parcel ID #: 0038 045<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Description](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-10-2026-Sabal-Trail-Letter-to-McIntyre-Cemetary-0004.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Description of Survey Activities<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\nLowndes County between Madison Highway and Railroad Avenue<\/a><\/h4>\r\n
![\"[Dear](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-10-2026-Sabal-Trail-Expansion-Project-Letter-0001.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Dear Lowndes County: …we are requesting your consent to perform survey activities on your property, including area adjacent to or beyond the existing Sabal Trail easement.<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Page](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-10-2026-Sabal-Trail-Expansion-Project-Letter-0002.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Page 2<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Map:](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/2026-08-30--map-madison-highway-railroad-ave-stt-lowndes-county--lowndes-county-tax-appraisers.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Map: Madison Highway and Railroad Avenue, Sabal Trail, Lowndes County 2026-08-30<\/a>\r\n—Lowndes County Tax Appraisers<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[SURVEY](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-10-2026-Sabal-Trail-Expansion-Project-Letter-0003.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
SURVEY AUTHORIZATION, Landowner Name: Lowndes County, Tract # GA-LO-070.000.01 , GA-LO-072.000, Tax Map\/ Parcel ID #: 0098 003, 0098 004<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[Description](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/August-10-2026-Sabal-Trail-Expansion-Project-Letter-0004.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Description of Survey Activities<\/a>\r\n
PDF<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"[1657-PL-DG-70197-247,](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/govt\/loco\/2026-08-10--stt-loco\/20160407-5081-31369076-0002.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
1657-PL-DG-70197-247, STA. 12912+00 TO STA. 12965+00, MP 244.55, MP 245, MP 245.55, Unnamed Creek, (UT WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER), 12919+14 CL SR-31, (MADISON HIGHWAY), KINDER MORGAN PIPELINE, LOWNDES COUNTY, GEORGIA, 2026-03-14,, Sabal Trail Alignment Maps by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE)<\/a> https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/@30.6718150,-83.3170220,17z\/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0<\/span>\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/donate<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n