The Times Tribune natural gas blog is listed as a resource at http://conserveland.org/pp/naturalgas. The site belongs to the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association.
Also, a hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16 in Scranton in federal court. The hearing stems from a lawsuit filed by Susquehanna County landowners against Cabot Oil and Gas
Corp. The landowners hope to nullify their contracts with Cabot.
According to court documents, the landowners claim in part that Cabot land men told them that they would never get more than what was being offered at the time. The landowners signed leases for, $25, $50 or $100 an acre.
The landowners are also claiming their contracts are void because the agreements with Cabot violate a state law that stipulates landowners are supposed to receive at least a 1/8 royalty.
--By Josh Mrozinski
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3 comments:
These out of state energy companies have lied and deceived dozens of pa landowners.It's time they follow the law and pay the landowners their due.
I am a PA resident and landowner... While what happened to these folks is unfortunate, who is really to blame??? The gas co.'s have a business to run and it is a cut-throat business. I feel that if a PA law about 1/8th royalty was broken than the people should get there deserved share according to the PA law. However if they are just mad,upset and reaching for some loopole in legislation then they should stop wasting tax payers money dragging this through the court systems. These people should blame themselves for what has happened. These folks acted swiftly and clearly didn't research or look into anything before signing on the dotted line. So don't post like these guys are criminals because they are not, it is a business. And as in any business if you see an easy target for profit (i.e. uneducated hasty PA residents)then you take full advantage of them and you buy the right to drill on their land as cheaply as you can. Let this be a lesson to others, do research, consult an environmental attorney(not working for the gas co.'s), there are endless measures you can take to educate yourself. But if you aren't smart enough to think about this and you just sign on the dotted line, what you signed is what you get, honor it and understand that it was your own fault you were decieved. The worlds not a fair and honest place and business is still business. Use your brain and educate yourself!!
I have been in business a long time, so I know about contracts and leases. I have read 5 different leases, I would not sign any of them. I have never read anything as one sided as these are. Page one says 12.5% in royalties and then on another page they tell you something will be taken out of your royalties. One page say storage is allowed, I didn't want storage so, I was sent an addendum that stated no storage unless otherwise stated in the lease. It's a wonder anyone signs them. I'm angry at all the landowners around me who signed that garbage. But if my grandmother signed one I would help her sue. In 2000 the Justice Dept. intervenes in lawsuits against oil and gas companies in royalty underpayment litigation suit. Twenty One states won the lawsuit. The OIL & GAS companies still have never changed the leases. I guess we need a truth in leasing law because they refuse to change. This isn't about loop holes in legislation it's about fair play and being paid properly 12.5% without deductions of any kind.
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