Sunday, March 14, 2010

Marcellus Shale: How To Ruin a Perfectly Good Farm (Part One)


This is a must see video filmed March 12, 2010. Featured is landowner Ron Gulla (goo-lah) whose farm in Hickory, PA, was ruined by the gas drilling industry. His riveting story will leave you speechless. How could his story be true? Yet it is all true. Mr. Gulla leased his land in 2002. He got $7.50 per acre and 13.5% royalties. Listen to his story about what happened to him and his family: theft, breaking and entering, court appearances, gas drillers defecating all over his property, garbage strewn everywhere. Would you expect this on your property if you signed a lease? I wouldn't. But this is the norm. Gas drillers say that they value the relationship with the landowners on whose property they are operating. However, Ron Gulla's story proves this is not the case. There is no such thing as respect or cooperation. Leased land is used up and destroyed, never to be the same again.

DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why all the negativity. The gas companies are here to stay. They are keeping the economy alive up here in Bradford county. I leased my farm acreage for 180,000, which helped me build a new barn and buy new equipment. Natural gas is a much cleaner fuel then coal. Of course there will be mishaps and Im finding people without land are dwelling on them. It would be great if the USA was free from purchasing forgien oil and gas and maybe start exporting something from the US. Yes its going to change the area but now I have the option to move if I want. My farm is paid off thanks to Chesapeake and I can work less and enjoy it.

Anonymous said...

If I were Ron Gulah, I would be angry too seeing people getting 5750$ a acre for leasing their land but Ron didnt complain when he got his check for 7.50 a acre. He should be angry at himself not at the gas companies. I was offered 200 a acre and didnt take it. I waited and signed at the right time. My suggestion to Ron is read contracts before you sign them. Ron is now bitter because he didnt wait. Remember you have to give to get.

Im not writing these posts to anger people but maybe to wake them up. Read contracts before you sign them and stop being angry because you signed too early.