Story last updated at
1:55 p.m.
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Some want it all
After spending the last six years building, clearing, and landscaping my property, I'm beginning to think it was a waste of time since the state has sold leases directly under our residential lands. Without proper notification, we are told gas exploration and extraction could happen not only in our fields and pastures but also close to our buildings and houses. They say they can do this because the state retains rights to the sub-surface and they in turn are selling the sub-surface rights under your land. As if this doesn't sound bad enough that they are creating the disruption of the sub surface think about it. They are also taking, or are proposing to take, our surface. Your land and mine would not appear the same. It could contain gravel drill pads, compressors, drills, and pipe lines. Why didn't the state, the leaser and Unocal simply say, "We're taking your land." And forget about this political verbiage of "surface and sub-surface." They want it all. Everything we have worked for and have a right to enjoy they want to manipulate.
On one-to-four acres, how are you going to have your shop, garden, dog yard, horse barn and corral, garage and house with all the gas drilling and extraction apparatus? You can't. Given we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and have worked hard to maintain what we have, most folks aren't willing to give up without a fight. It is essential that the state buy back these leases so we can start over again to gain more local control.
Sharon Henry, Fritz Creek
We encourage you to add your comments. To prevent spam, comments with links are manually approved during the normal business day. Please be respectful of others with your comments, bear in mind anyone in the community may be reading your comments.
