Comments on: Gas Muse 9/6/2008 Change the Names and It Could be Here - Part 2

By: Thompson

Thompson — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:25:38 +0000

Penn State has a new booklet: “Natural Gas Exploration - A Landowner’s Guide to Leasing Land in Pennsylvania”. It is available free from the Penn State Extension Office in Montrose or on line at

http://naturalgaslease.pbwiki.com/f/gasprimer08_web.pdf

There is also a sample lease on the web site:

http://naturalgaslease.pbwiki.com/f/PaidUpOilGasLease.pdf

By: suscoresident

suscoresident — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:32:27 +0000

Based on the original posting concerning elected officials and their response or lack of it, I am confused as to Thompson’s input. Is Thompson indicating this as appropriate or inappropriate action by certain officials?

By: Thompson

Thompson — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:42:27 +0000

Susquehanna County “Clean and Green”

If you have 200 acre farm in “Clean and Green” and you permit a gas well to be drilled on your property, the entire 200 acres will be in violation of “Clean and Green”. This means that you will have to “roll back” the entire 200 acres. “Roll back” means that you will have to pay the full taxes on your 200 acres for the current year and the previous six years.

The idea that “only the five acres surrounding the well” will be rolled back and the remaining 195 acres remain in “Clean and Green” is wrong.

And, as previously stated here, if you are reimbursed that roll back expense by the drilling company, that money will be treated as “ordinary income” for the purpose of state and federal taxes.

By: suscoresident

suscoresident — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:01:40 +0000

I like your thinking of including in municipal leases for gas drilling that those doing the leasing (TAXPAYERS OF THAT PARTICULAR MUNICIPAL ENTITY) be given the opportunity to acquire some of the gas at a reduced price. Is not reducing expenses as much of an economic stimulus as increasing income? Following this same line of thought, as you fault our political leaders for not doing this, how many folks signing leases are or have included this addendum to their personal leases? From those I have reviewed few if any have?Everyone seems more intent on getting more cash as opposed to more value, That is human nature.I quess local political leaders (school boards,townships,counties,boroughs, ect.)have that human nature problem too.

By: Thompson

Thompson — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:15:03 +0000

The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania is not interested. This is the page showing their 2008 Legislative Priorities:

http://www.pacounties.org/commissioners/cwp/view.asp?a=1130&q=551589

Their only interest is making money off the gas and oil. Here is the Alert to hell pass HB1373:

http://capwiz.com/pataxfairness/issues/alert/?alertid=11731151&type=CU&show_alert=1

The PA League of Cities & Municipalities doesn’t seem to be very interested either. Here is a list of their priorities:

http://www.plcm.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={97C6FA97-218A-4D62-AC27-36A60CFCF20D}&DE={D8A6497E-2395-4160-B119-E7FE8D77AC95}

The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs also appears to have no interest:

http://www.boroughs.org/legislative/adoptedresolutions0608.pdf

The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors do not mention the subject in their policy:

http://www.psats.org/Policy_Statement_07-08.pdf

They do have an information page:

http://www.psats.org/townships_today_archive_spring08.html

From the Pennsylvania General Assembly:

HB2227:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?&syear=2007&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=2227

Senate Bill 1127:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?&syear=2007&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1127

House Bill 1373

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?&syear=2007&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1373

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has a new Marcellus page:

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/minres/OILGAS/new_forms/Marcellus/Marcellus.htm

The health and safety of Pennsylvania residents relative to gas drilling is not on the radar screen of our government - at any level.