Legal concept may arise after New York fracking ban
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
“Takings” lawsuits may be filed in response to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s ban on fracking, reports Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PowerSource.
Similar to eminent domain, takings requires that private property owners are compensated by the government when assets are taken away due to government action.
For New York state, this means that many landowners could file takings lawsuits, but the legal process is complicated. Even though landowners may argue that they are deprived of making money off of their mineral rights due to the state government’s ban, the cases may be difficult to prove.
Via: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PowerSource > Uncommon legal concept may surface in New York after fracking ban
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.