>
Support the Republican Newspaper! It’s only $9.95/year for the online edition!
Jun. 30, 2011
Two evening programs slated for July in the auditorium of Garrett College have been scheduled, and are designed to offer area residents information about the leasing of private property to companies interested in drilling for natural gas using hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”
The Emmy Award-winning documentary titled Split Estate will be shown in the auditorium on Monday, July 11, at 7 p.m. The film explores the consequences for landowners who do not own the mineral rights under their property. There is no admission charge, and the film will be presented without commentary.
Acclaimed for its fairness and independence, the 2009 documentary shows how lives are changed when gas wells are drilled on properties whose owners cannot control the surface development. Trees are cleared, roads are built, and wells and gas processing stations can be put in place, all without any say from the landowner.
“Split Estate is a must-see film for any elected official who deals with natural resources issues and impact that oil and gas extraction can have on a community,” said Brian Egolf, a New Mexico state representative.
The exact number of landowners in western Maryland who face such a “split estate” situation, from among the approximately 550 mineral leases that have been purchased by out-of-state energy companies since 2006, has not been publicly cited. Whether state or local officials even know an exact number is not clear.
Shale gas drilling was put on hold in Maryland until at least August 2014 after Gov. Martin O’Malley earlier this month announced an executive order requiring more study of the issues. Although the order focuses primarily on dealing with the environmental consequences of drilling in nearby states – some 2,500 gas wells have been “fracked” in Pennsylvania since 2005, with hundreds more in West Virginia – the order also requires state authorities to address a host of private-property rights conflicts, such as the severance of mineral rights.
Then on Wednesday, July 13, the public is invited back to the GC auditorium for another educational/informative program centered on the drilling/fracking controversy.
If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.
