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WCEL
> Hot Topics > Oil and Gas
Landowner Rights and Environment get Trampled as BC Government Rushes to
Develop Coalbed Methane
Vancouver, BC, October 21, 2004 - Research by West Coast
Environmental Law has found that a BC landowner lost a claim to gas
rights underneath his property when the BC government passed the
Coalbed Gas Act. The research found that not only did the government
take the valuable rights, it then immunized itself from claims of
compensation through legislation.
The research further found that in an attempt to accelerate
coalbed methane development in the province, the government
privately negotiated with four large corporate coal owners to grant
them exclusive gas bidding rights on their property, but did not
offer this same deal to hundreds of small coal and land owners
around the province.
"What this means is that small landowners have not been
given the option to say no to coalbed methane development and its
negative environmental effects. Not only have the gas rights been
taken away from some landowners without compensation, but landowners
in general have not been given a chance to buy them back. Were small
landowners granted the same exclusive opportunity to acquire the
rights, some small landowners would no doubt buy the rights and stop
coalbed methane development," said Susan Rutherford, Staff
Counsel with West Coast Environmental Law. "It's also troubling
that there's the perception of favouritism with the government
making exclusive deals with a few big companies to give them rights
not given to the little guys."
Legislation barring compensation in this case runs counter to the
trend of the current government explicitly granting compensation to
other economic actors whose activities are affected, such as the
Forest Act giving forest companies compensation rights when a
deletion is made from a tree farm licence.
"We not only feel like we've been had, but now we also have
to live with the negative impacts of drilling right on our
property," said Brad Hope, the Princeton landowner who asked
for the legal opinion. "Coal bed methane is not a pretty
industry, but this government seems hell-bent on forcing it down our
throats."
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| For more information: |
Susan Rutherford, 604-684-7378 |
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Brad Hope, 250-295-3512 |
See Backgrounder at: http://www.wcel.org/hot/OG/CBA-BG.htm
BC's Rush to Drill Could Bring Problems: US Experts To Outline Coal Bed Methane Impacts
Vancouver – The environmental impact of the BC government’s rush to promote coal bed methane development is the focus of a public forum sponsored by West Coast Environmental
Law.
Two American experts on the environmental impacts of coal bed methane exploration and drilling will be featured at the public forum on coal bed methane development set for Tuesday March 11,
2003, 12:30 – 2:30 pm at the Vancouver Public Library (350 West Georgia) – Alma VanDusen Room.
Jill Morrison of Wyoming’s Powder River Basin Resource Council and Gwen Lachelt from Colorado’s Oil and Gas Accountability Project help ranchers, farmers and local citizens across the American West deal with the environmental impacts of coal bed methane development. Karen Campbell, a BC lawyer specializing in oil and gas development, will join them to discuss the BC government’s plans to develop coal bed methane.
“Coal bed methane is a relatively clean fuel. Unfortunately, getting it out of the ground is a dirty business with environmental consequences,” said Jill Morrison from her home in the Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. “We’re dealing with those consequences here in Wyoming. Hopefully, British Columbians can learn from our experience.”
The Vancouver forum is one of a series of four provincial forums sponsored by West Coast Environmental Law. Forums will also be held in Courtenay,
Fernie, and Hudson’s Hope – all communities where coal bed methane drilling is being promoted.
For information: Margot McMillan - 604-684-7378 or 1 800 330-WCEL toll-free in BC. http://www.wcel.org/whatsnew/cbmtour.htm
Coalbed methane in the press:
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