Fracking Facts Continues

Library's Gas Drilling Series Continues

The Ohio County Public Library's new "Fracking Facts" series about Marcellus Shale drilling issues in the Ohio Valley will continue on Thursday evening July 14 at 7:00 PM. Charleston based oil and gas and public interest attorney David McMahon, who authored the West Virginia Surface Owner’s Guide to Oil and Gas and co-founded the West Virginia Surface Owner’s Rights Organization (WV-SORO), will share his top ten tips for leasing natural gas rights and discuss the rights of those who have already signed a lease. He will then focus on the rights of surface-only owners.

WV-SORO’s mission is to protect landowners from abuses by oil and gas drillers by focusing on public policy and regulatory changes needed to expand surface owners’ rights and help West Virginians protect their land and water resources.

A Wheeling native who grew up in Dimmeydale and Woodsdale and graduated from Triadelphia High School, McMahon said that WV-SORO frequently receives calls from people with questions about what they can do to protect their land prior to drilling as well as numerous complaints about damage once the drilling begins. “We know people have lots of questions," McMahion said, "and WV-SORO is focused on educating landowners about their rights and pushing the public policy changes needed to make these rights easier to enforce and to ensure that landowners receive fair compensation for their losses and inconveniences."

“The money may be attractive," he continued, "but people need to think about what they or future generations may want to do with the land. Most mineral owners don’t know that there are usually bad provisions in leases that can and should be crossed out and that they can insist on lease add-ons or addendums that provide additional protections for their land before they sign.”

Both surface and mineral owners interested in learning more about their rights are encouraged to attend the July 14 program. WV-SORO also has a number of resources listed on its website at www.wvsoro.org. These include the WV Surface Owners’ Guide to Oil and Gas, which helps landowners assess their situation, outlines what rights they have and gives them step-by-step suggestions on what they should do before, during and after an oil or gas well is drilled on their property. The group also has a ‘leasing’ page at their website with information for those who are considering leasing their minerals.

Like all library programs, the "Fracking Facts" series is free and open to the public. Additional events in the series will be announced as they are scheduled. Call 304-232-0244 for more information or email lunchwithbooks@yahoo.com or become a fan at facebook.com/lunchwithbooks.