Important Decision in Court Case Affects all NY Landowners
A very important legal decision in New York potentially affects all New York landowners with and without drilling leases who have seen a sharp jump in their property assessments. A Broome County, NY Supreme Court judge has just ruled in favor of four Tioga County, NY landowners who sued to have their property assessments reduced, believing their assessments were unfairly raised because of the perceived increase in land value from the possibility (i.e. “speculation”) that the land may one day see Marcellus Shale drilling.
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What angers MDN editor Jim Willis more than almost any other issue in the fracking debate is when adults contaminate the minds of young people with their own, polluted, distorted opinions—especially on the topic of fracking. Unfortunately it happens down to the youngest grades, including the nine year-old students of fourth grade anti-fracking teachers Mary Hayes and Patricia McGorry in the Maple Hill Elementary School in Middletown (Sullivan County), NY. Shame on them.
A small independent exploration and production company from Bradford, PA—Minard Run Oil Co.—has just picked up 56,130 acres of leases, 200 miles of pipelines, compressor stations, and 413 natural gas wells—all located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. They purchased the assets from Chesapeake Energy for an undisclosed amount. According to Minard, Chesapeake was “a willing seller,” which kind of feels to MDN like it was a “fire sale” on the part of Chesapeake to get a little more cash on the books before the close of 2012.