landowners
Newsletter
Credit: Jared Evans/Unsplash
Ohio enforces stricter measures on oil and gas drilling rights on private properties
Ohio sees a surge in forced land use for oil and gas extraction despite property owners' resistance.
In short:
- Ohio has increased the number of unitization orders, allowing oil and gas companies to drill on private lands without full owner consent.
- The state law mandates 65% owner agreement before companies can proceed, yet recent changes have eased this process significantly.
- Critics argue these legal adjustments favor the petroleum industry overwhelmingly, sidelining landowner rights and environmental concerns.
Key quote:
"All the cards are stacked against us."
— Patrick Hunkler, affected landowner
Why this matters:
The increasing frequency of these orders raises concerns about the balance of industry benefits against individual property rights and environmental impacts. This controversial approach has raised significant environmental and health concerns among residents. Many fear that the intrusion of drilling operations could lead to water contamination, air pollution, and other risks associated with fracking and traditional drilling methods. These apprehensions are compounded by reports from other regions that experienced similar expansions in drilling activity, where increases in health issues like respiratory problems and waterborne diseases were observed.
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Newsletter
Credit: SELİM ARDA ERYILMAZ/Unsplash
South Dakota: House leader cautions that pipeline opposition may compromise landowner rights
Amidst legislative tensions, a suite of bills seeks to navigate the delicate balance between economic development and property rights in South Dakota's pipeline debate.
In short:
- Lawmakers in South Dakota are contending with the challenge of aligning economic interests and property rights as they consider legislation on carbon dioxide pipelines.
- The proposed bills are a reaction to the failure of previous legislation aimed at hindering pipeline projects, with a focus now on protecting landowner rights without obstructing development.
- With only a week left in the legislative session, three key bills remain in play, each addressing different aspects of landowner protections and pipeline regulation.
Key quote:
“All this opposition can lead us to a place where we get nothing done for farmers, nothing done for ethanol, that we get nothing done for counties, nothing done for regulatory certainty.”
— Will Mortenson, R-Fort Pierre, House Majority Leader
Why this matters:
The outcome of these bills will significantly impact South Dakota's approach to managing land rights, economic growth and environmental strategies, at a time when infrastructure projects and climate change mitigation are national priorities. This legislation embodies the broader struggle to harmonize local governance with state and federal environmental objectives.
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Photo by Quinten de Graaf on Unsplash
Landowners fight to keep Mountain Valley lawsuit alive
Virginia landowners who sued to stop the Mountain Valley pipeline from crossing their property are fighting to keep their court challenge alive — even after Congress brokered a deal to ensure the natural gas project’s completion.
capitalandmain.com
California oil lobby seeks to strip environmental protections for groundwater amid drought
The move could make it harder for landowners to sue companies that pollute water tables.
www.post-gazette.com
Pa. Supreme Court ruling erodes Marcellus Shale royalty cheating case
High court rules 6-1 Pennsylvania’s consumer protection law does not apply to landowners that lease drilling rights on their property.
mlk50.com
Eminent domain lets pipeline developers take land, pay little, say Black property owners
Joseph Owens turned down an offer of $3,000 from an oil pipeline company to buy easements on his property. So the company took Owens to court, claimed eminent domain and took them anyway.
www.washingtonpost.com
Orphan wells: Canada's struggling oil industry leaves thousands abandoned
The Alberta Energy Regulator had $170.3 million to clean up liabilities estimated at more than $22.5 billion.
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