Gas Leases in Plain Language
Open Forum, Danby Town Hall, Rt 96B Danby
Wednesday, September 23, 2009 7pm
>> The Danby Gas Drilling Task Force, a committee formed by the
>> Danby Town Board, will hold a public forum entitled, "Gas Leases
>> in Plain Language," in the Danby Town Hall at 7pm on Wednesday,
>> September 23. The Danby Town Hall is located on NYS Rt.96B in the
>> hamlet of Danby. The forum is free and open to everyone.
>>
>> Volunteer members of the Task Force, including Attorney Helen
>> Slottje, will describe the language and meaning of the terms
>> that are included in gas leases. Individuals are welcome to
>> bring a copy of their lease for translation into "Plain
>> Language."
>>
>> Helen Slottje is an attorney in Ithaca. She attended the University
>> of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law Schools and practiced real estate at
>> a major Boston law firm for eight years before moving to the Finger
>> Lakes. She has been concerned with natural gas development issues
>> since first learning about leasing in 2007. Since then, Slottje has
>> devoted herself to understanding gas leases and their implications for
>> drilling in the Marcellus Shale.
>>
>> The September 23 program will guide lease holders through the
>> typical contents of a lease. Significant terms and phrases will
>> be identified so attendees can protect themselves and their land,
>> with an eye toward preventing out-of-state energy companies
>> from taking advantage of the situation.
>>
>> Slottje will explain the automatic renewal clause that is a part
>> of most leases, what is involved with terminating a lease that
>> has reached the end of its term, and items that may be negotiated
>> into a lease for a land owner's benefit. She will also address the
>> issues of compulsory integration of unleased property into
>> neighboring drilling units, and the use of eminent domain to
>> purchase land for pipeline construction.
>>
>> Discussion will include ground water issues such as well quality
>> and aquifer protection. Quality of life issues including drilling
>> and pumping station noise and open land being developed into industrial
>> areas will also be addressed.
>>
>> This meeting is appropriate for land owners who already have leases
>> and are not sure about their rights with respect to horizontal drilling
>> and hydraulic fracturing (hydro-fracking) technology. The meeting will
>> also be useful for land owners who have been approached by gas company
>> agents and are not sure whether to sign, and for neighbors of owners
>> of leased land who wonder what their rights may be.
>>
>> For more information, contact Katherine Halton at 607.273.0533.
--
George R. Frantz, AICP, ASLA
Visiting Lecturer
Dept. of City & Regional Planning
Cornell University
604 Cliff Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
(607) 256-9310
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