Middlesex Township shale lawsuit dismissed
Monday, June 6, 2016
A lawsuit filed in Middlesex Township has been dismissed by a Butler County, Pennsylvania, judge. The lawsuit was filed by 13 oil and gas leaseholders claiming that they were denied the sale of their mineral rights due to drilling opponents.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PowerSource reports that the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, the Clean Air Council and five individuals were named in the lawsuit for allegedly taking action to delay drilling leases.
The defendants’ attorney called the lawsuit a “strategic lawsuit against public participation” (SLAPP) because it attempted to penalize opponents for voicing opinions protected by the First Amendment.
Read more: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PowerSource > Leaseholder SLAPP suit dismissed in Butler County
Related:
- Middlesex Township residents oppose fracking near schools — July 18, 2015
- Gas dispute pits Butler County residents against each other — July 9, 2015
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Shale FAQ
How often do royalty payments come?
Depending on the company, royalty payments can arrive monthly or quarterly.
Are my royalty payments transferable?
Yes. If you plan on selling your property, notify the gas company that is leasing your land and your realtor. They will make arrangements to allow the royalty payments to transfer to a different land owner.
What are royalties?
Royalties are payments from the gas company to the landowner as part of a lease agreement. Royalties payments cannot begin until production begins. The payments are dependent upon the market price of the resource.