Letters to the Editor 7/23/2010

Published: July 23, 2010

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Protest the 'Conservation Pooling Act'

EDITOR: The United States of America, I have known and trusted since birth is about to take away a homeowner's rights to deny access to our home and property to corporations and entities that do not understand the meaning of "no."

Why are we in Pennsylvania allowing the gas and oil companies to write the legislation euphemistically called "pooling"? I think we "withholders" should make our voices heard, protest the "Conservation Pooling Act" and express our displeasure to State House representatives Marc Gergely of Allegheny County and Garth Everett of Lycoming County. These gentlemen are to introduce this forced pooling bill.

Those of us who have chosen not to lease our land for whatever reason must have our rights respected, not circumvented. The oil and gas companies knew this region was like a jigsaw puzzle of owners who had leased to a variety of different companies. They were going to have a difficult time amassing enough adjoining properties to drill. They had to anticipate that some of us would decline. We resent being forced against our will to accept the gas companies' legislation to access our property.

I agree that we need a strong regulatory framework but "forced pooling" is not American. Don't homeowners have rights? We realize that we will have to endure the down side of drilling and the threat to our roads and water. We accept that will happen. We do not want to be coerced into accepting that the gas companies will drill under and across our land so that they won't have to erect another drill tower on the other side of us. If we wanted the money to compensate us we would have signed originally.

I urge other "withholders" to protest this "Conservation Pooling Act." Doesn't anyone remember "How Green Was My Valley," by Richard Llewellyn? Doesn't anyone remember the tree stumps of Applachia?

Dorette Burnham

Windham

Another attack on property rights

EDITOR: I was reading in my paper, "The Daily Review" about the proposed "Forced Pooling" legislation. It appears to be another attack on the rights of individual property owners. If one is forced into a lease with a gas company, the royalties are far less than the going rate plus a penalty is added on. So what rights does the property owner still have other than to pay taxes on "his" land. Do the gas companies own all of Pennsylvania or just control the government for their benefit.

John C. Davey

New Albany

Spooky

EDITOR: Even thought we left the area years ago, we still at times, subscribe to The Daily Review.

The photo on the front page of your July 13 issue is both ironic and a little spooky. The photo shows a wrecked cattle truck. A man died in this wreck according to the accompanying story.

What is spooky about the photo, is that what clearly is a cemetery is in the background of the photo showing the wrecked truck. What are the odds of someone dying at their final earthly resting place.

Lee A. Neiley

Beacon, N.Y.

Thank you

EDITOR: As the notes of "Pomp and Circumstance" fade I reflect on the corner where I live with my husband Joe, and the students of the Waverly Central School District who ride the school buses around that corner.

The corner of William Street and Chemung Street is a very busy corner. Some would say a dangerous corner with its three intersecting streets and their eight lanes of traffic entering and exciting Chemung Street (aka Hwy 17C). To the mix add a crosswalk and school buses. EEK!

Thank you to the persons who help to make this corner as safe as they can twice a day when our school buses are taking our students to and from school; the Village Trustees our Chief of Police, the Superintendent of Schools, our own Crossing Guard, Mr. George Greeno, and you, the persons stopping for quite possibly the longest one minute and twenty seconds of your day.

If you are running late it is not the responsibility of Mr. Greeno. Please do not scold him! Rather, consider that you are participating in our shared responsibility to keep the precious cargo the school buses carry as safe as we can.

Kathleen Jean Schmieg

Waverly, N.Y.

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