Landowners getting trampled in gas rights rush

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Unsuspecting property owners around the country are getting trampled in an old-fashioned land rush by natural gas companies and speculators trying to lock up long-ignored drilling rights quickly and cheaply.

Stories of fast-talking industry representatives using scare tactics to strong-arm people into signing lowball leases are popping up in rural areas and suburbs from New York to West Virginia to parts of Indiana and Texas. All sit atop largely untapped natural gas deposits made suddenly viable
West Virginia farmer and convenience store owner Brad Castle is still smarting from his experience.

Yahoo