No Paradise Without Gas Rights
Washington PA Observer-Reporter
19 March 2010
Where are you, Erin Brockovich?
We were recently approached by a woman from Cougar Land Services asking
us for permission to perform seismic testing on our property. When we
refused she stated, "It really doesn't matter if we have your
permission because the company that owns your gas rights has given
consent."
This discussion resulted in many more discussions with multiple
attorneys, a county commissioner, DEP officials and so on. We are now
testing our well water for chemicals as a precautionary measure and we
are thinking that our dream of owning property in the country to garden
organically was not such a good idea.
We are at the mercy of the company who owns our gas rights. Will our
property have a gas well placed on it? Will our old oak trees be cut
down for a roadway to a well? Will we look out of our windows and see
machinery instead of beautiful land? As the song goes, "They paved
paradise and put up a parking lot."
John and Betty Robison
Scenery Hill