He concluded, “There’s nothing beneficial to the state of Georgia in this pipeline.” Some Commissioners had never heard of Sabal Trail: now they have, from local resident Alton Paul Burns, at their 9 December 2014 Thomas County Commission Regular Session, and they know it could come right through Thomasville.

Discussing among themselves, one Commissioner remarked that the pipeline wouldn’t go through her place, but it was still a concern, and they should ask Sabal Trail to come explain themselves.

Later, I told them where to find the LAKE videos and told them about the Lowndes County and Valdosta resolutions against Sabal Trail. The County Clerk asked for copies of those resolutions, which I am sending her.

• G.h. Alton Burns — Sabal Trail pipeline

  Video.

  Good morning everyone.

  Good morning Commissioners,

  My name is Alton Paul Burns. I am a lifelong resident here in Thomas County. I would like to thank you all for allowing me to express my concerns about this issue here today. So may I start with the serenity prayer. I really ask the Great Spirit to grant me the Serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the Courage to change the things that I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.

  This Earth does not belong to us as we have borrowed it from our children. While we are all on our journey to the other side, before we cross over, may we ask ourselves, “What kind of legacy do we want to leave behind for our children and future generations?” The extraction of Gas. Oil, and Coal have taken their toll on Mother Nature and with no end in sight we continue to push forward down the same road of debauchery.

  Mountain top mining has destroyed 500 mountains, over a million acres of forest. and buried over 2000 miles of once beautiful streams in West Virginia and east Kentucky. And when it is burned, the emissions are so bad, the EPA is shutting these dragons down. But yet after another catastrophe, they tell us we need to study more on the problem. What can we do with 60 years of waste, in the form of a hundred million tons of burnt ash. We all know about BP. Our Supreme Court now refused to hear their appeal as they do not want to pay.

  And then there is the fracking. The boom started in Pennsylvania in 2008 and spread across this country like a wild Fire. Some argue oh how safe it burns; it burns cleaner than coal. But the impact it has on the environment is catastrophic. Billions of gallons of water are used and per mentally contaminated and then pumped right back into the ground or dumped into our rivers and streams and there have been cases of this toxic water illegally dumped on streets at night. This is polluting Aquifers all over the country. Now it has to be transported and that brings me here to you today, about the pipeline.

  Note: “This pipeline is much bigger than previous pipe lines or those that blew up recently in Oklahoma and Texas. Plus the company behind this pipeline has a long list of fines for PCB pollution by EPA for property damage, leaks, and negligence by PHMSA.” I have just recently Ieamed of Sabal Trail’s prospective route of which nould come very close to my home and of alternate routes that may carry this potential disaster straight down US Hwy 19, through Thomasville. I’m sure that the citizens of our area are unaware of this and the dangers that will come with it. There are all too many devastating explosions that often happen.

  Further, this pipeline would have to cross six rivers. the Chattahoochee, Flint, Withlachoochee, Suwannee, Santa Fe, and the Ichetucknee. Some rivers twice. These are all very sensitive water areas. These pipelines rupture and they rupture under rivers too. An example of this: Raritan River in central New Jersey February 14, 2014. And there are many other cases.

  This alone is a 3 Billion Dollar project. So I ask for the the Courage to speak, and I ask you and I ask the CEO of Sabal Trail with your combined wisdom to consider investing in solar instead and creating green jobs. Build solar farms like our neighbors in Camilla. Even Duke Energy now wants to invest $500 million in a big commitment to solar, and build solar farms in North Carolina.

  I thank you for allowing me to speak.

• G.h. Commissioners discuss pipeline

  Video. They mostly seemed concerned and indicated they might summon Sabal Trail to explain itself.

• H. –John Quarterman, LAKE videos, Lowndes Co. & Valdosta Pipeline Resolutions

  Video. I told them about LAKE videos. Then I brought them news of the resolution against the pipeline the Lowndes County Commission was to vote on later that same day (and did, unanimously approving it), and the Valdosta City Council resolution to be discussed that same evening and voted on Thursday evening.

  I forgot to mention the Dougherty County resolution of 27 October 2014, the City of Albanyresolution of 28 October 2014, and the Terrell County resolution of 5 November 2014.

  I did mention the Hamilton County, Florida resolution of 19 August 2014. I’m sending all these resolutions to the Thomas County Clerk.

Here’s a video playlist:

Ask Sabal Trail to invest in solar farms instead of pipelines –Alton Paul Burns
Regular Session, Thomas County Commission (TCC),
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
225 N. Broad Street, Thomasville, Thomas County, Georgia, 9 December 2014.

-jsq

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