Chesapeake Energy Corp.: How to Use Eminent Domain WITHOUT Paying the Property Owners

When the government uses Eminent Domain to condemn your property, the one bright spot is that you get paid market value for your property that the government has “bought” from you.

But now, Chesapeake Energy Corp. has found a way to use the government’s power of Eminent Domain, but without that pesky little detail about paying the landowner whose property they’ve just seized.

Here is the exact scenario that’s been playing again and again in Texas:

Chesapeake Energy Corp. will offer money to a landowner for permission to drill for natural gas — i.e. hydraulic fracturing or fracking — underneath this person’s property.  The property owner refuses.  So Chesapeake Energy Corp. goes groveling to a Texas state agency for permission to drill on this person’s property.  Permission is granted.

And on top of that, Chesapeake doesn’t even have to pay the money that was originally offered to the property owner.

For some odd reason, the Far Right isn’t screaming in unison about “Property Rights!” and “Government Land Grab!”

The linked article is long and detailed, but it’s well worth reading and bookmarking.  Just what we all need — something else to seethe about.