CUMBERLAND — Two local legislators who represent the Marcellus shale-rich areas of Western Maryland have introduced legislation to clarify issues regarding gas leases and mineral rights. One of the bills offers protections for landowners entering oil and gas leases.
Delegate Wendell Beitzel and Sen. George Edwards introduced two companion bills each in the Senate and the House of Delegates.
“Based largely on discussions with local officials and concerned citizens, we believe that the current statutes regarding the recordation of leases for natural gas and oil should be addressed this session,” Beitzel said.
House Bill 403 would require clerks of court to have a complete intake sheet before recording a lease for real property dealing in oil or gas.
Senate Bill 471 is the companion bill.
Current law does not allow a clerk to reject an otherwise completed lease based on the lack of an intake sheet, Beitzel said.
The new law would help the tracking and indexing of the documents.
“These sheets will be used by the folks in the land records department to properly index the properties leased by natural gas and oil companies. With this important change in the law, people can more easily find these records,” Edwards said.
Beitzel and Edwards also plan to file a bill requiring the recordation of leases of oil and natural gas. The bill, the text of which was not available at press time, also stipulates general information to be included within the leasing documents.
Ohio, along with other states, already have similar provisions on the books, according to a joint press release from the legislators.
“It has been reported to us that some individuals who have entered into these leases were caught off guard with some of the provisions found in the fine print that bind them indefinitely to the lease provisions. Though legislation cannot be crafted to safeguard everyone from every provision, this measure will put into place some very important protections for landowners,” Beitzel said.
Beitzel has filed House Bill 402, requiring terminated dormant mineral leases to be recorded in land records and requiring a judge terminating the leases to make specific information available in his orders. Senate Bill 472 is the companion bill filed by Edwards.
The two also plan to file a bill requiring the registration of land agents, Beitzel said.
Marcellus shale formations throughout the eastern U.S. harbor large untapped natural gas resources. The total value of the natural gas in Allegany County’s Marcellus shale could be close to $15.72 billion, with the average well earning $65,000 to $524,000 yearly, University of Maryland Extension staff has said.
In order to get the natural gas trapped in Marcellus shale to the surface, chemicals, water and sand are pumped underground to break apart rock formations and free the gas. The process is called hydraulic fracturing.
Interested parties can find a list of hydraulic fracturing chemicals and other information at the following site: http://fracfocus.org/
Contact Matthew Bieniek at mbieniek@times-news.com.
Latest news
Natural gas leasing bills filed in Md.
- Latest news
-
-
Maryland puts new Allegany High on drawing board
Allegany County Public School officials got the go-ahead from the state this week to start designing a new Allegany High School — a project many here have dreamed about for decades.
-
Man sentenced in Bel Air pharmacy robbery
A 21-year-old man charged in a 2011 drug store robbery faces the possibility of a long time in prison despite a sentence of one year and one day to serve in a Maryland prison.
-
Free fishing waters sought by state service
The Maryland Fisheries Service will soon begin a county-by-county look, seeking streams, rivers, ponds or lakes where anybody can fish without having a license.
-
Same-sex marriage supporters plan city rally
Supporters of Maryland’s same-sex marriage law plan a July rally in downtown Cumberland.
-
Garrett school board won’t rescind decision to close schools
Members of the Garrett County Board of Education hope to use some of the $1 million-plus it will receive in additional state funding to return eight personnel to the schools, according to interim Superintendent of Schools Sue Waggoner.
-
Keyser officials approve huge water, sewer rate increases
The Keyser City Council approved hikes Wednesday to water and sewer rates that have been in place since 1999. The first of several increases, to be phased in over a period of several years, takes effect in 45 days.
-
Police charge family members in fight
CUMBERLAND — Cumberland Police charged two family members after investigating a fight that broke out Wednesday night in the 500 block of Woodside Avenue.
-
DelFest offers variety of fun ... oh yeah, and music
CUMBERLAND — Artist play shops, late-night shows, camping, trolley rides, bluegrass band competition, a kid zone, painting, music instruction, puppet shows, petting zoo, art show, tie-dye making, yoga, hula-hooping classes, food vendors, craft vendors and of course lots of live music by more than 30 different recording artists will all be at the Allegany County Fairgrounds this Memorial Day Weekend for the fifth annual DelFest.
-
DelFest workshops popular with musicians near and far
CUMBERLAND — Four fun-filled, bluegrass stompin’ days along the Potomac River are just around the corner.
For the fifth year, the annual DelFest Bluegrass Memorial Day Weekend has arrived at the Allegany County Fairgrounds. The official musical lineup does not commence playing until this Thursday, but for the real diehards the DelFest Academy took off Monday evening. -
No tax hike in city spending plan
City residents won’t pay higher taxes next year, and trash removal costs won’t increase, according to the fiscal 2013 budget approved on a first reading Tuesday night.
- More Latest news Headlines
-
Maryland puts new Allegany High on drawing board
