{"id":12671,"date":"2014-05-07T19:37:10","date_gmt":"2014-05-07T19:37:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/independentweekender.com\/?p=12671"},"modified":"2014-05-07T19:37:10","modified_gmt":"2014-05-07T19:37:10","slug":"gas-opponent-attorney-asks-court-to-join-landowners-to-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/2014\/05\/07\/gas-opponent-attorney-asks-court-to-join-landowners-to-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Gas opponent attorney asks court to join landowners to case"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY STACI WILSON<\/strong><\/p>\n

A lawyer for natural gas opponent Vera Scroggins was back in court Tuesday arguing to have landowners leased with Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation joined to the permanent injunction the company is seeking to have placed against her.<\/p>\n

Cabot was granted a preliminary injunction in October 2013 barring Scroggins from its leased and owned properties; the preliminary injunction was modified by the court after a hearing in March to keep Scroggins from Cabot property and leased properties where active operations are taking place.<\/p>\n

Scroggins was not present in the courtroom on Tuesday. Attorney Gerald Kinchy made the arguments to join the landowners before President Judge Kenneth Seamans.<\/p>\n

Kinchy argued that there was no law that prohibited landowners from coming onto an active natural gas site or would preclude them from sending Scroggins to the well area to check on safety concerns.<\/p>\n

The judge asked why Scroggins should be allowed where there may be a dangerous situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not always dangerous,\u201d Kinchy answered.<\/p>\n

Judge Seamans questioned the attorney from the bench. \u201cWhy does she have any standing to compel landowners as part of the suit? You\u2019re asking (the Court) to join thousands of landowners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kinchy said that an injunction against Scroggins could adversely affect the property owners and their right to access operations on their own land.
\nHe said landowners may want his client to make certain Cabot is working in a safe manor and would want to hire Scroggins to do that for them. \u201cShe has the resources and experience to do that,\u201d Kinchy said.<\/p>\n

The judge countered, \u201cDon\u2019t we have someone doing it? DEP, EPA or both.\u201d
\n\u201cAren\u2019t there hundred of infractions enforced by the DEP?\u201d asked the judge.
\n\u201cYes,\u201d Kinchy answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen aren\u2019t they doing their job,\u201d answered Judge Seamans.<\/p>\n

The judge told Kinchy that although no criminal charges had been brought against his client, Scroggins had been determined to be a trespasser by the court. \u201cNo charges are needed to be determined by the court,\u201d Judge Seamans said.<\/p>\n

Cabot has sought written letters from its leaseholders that would keep Scroggins from coming onto their land, confirmed Cabot Attorney Amy Barrette.<\/p>\n

Barrette said that while Scroggins may be interested in visiting the drilling sites, \u201cAt the end of the day, it\u2019s about safety. She\u2019s putting herself and workers in harm\u2019s way, including landowners.\u201d<\/p>\n

She told the court that Cabot reached out to landowners. \u201cNot one owner (with active operations) has contacted Cabot to say we want her on their property.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scroggins attempt to have landowners joined to the case is a \u201cploy\u201d to change a civil trespass case to one of \u201cconvoluted constitutional issues,\u201d states a brief filed with the court by Cabot in answer to Scroggins motion.
\nThe judge said he would take the arguments into consideration.<\/p>\n

On April 16, Judge Seamans handed down an order and opinion denying Scroggins\u2019 motion to compel discovery.<\/p>\n

Scroggins had also motioned that a list of witnesses Cabot planned to present at trial be provided to her. The judge ruled that the witness list request was \u201cpremature.\u201d<\/p>\n

The case is expected to head to trial in June in Susquehanna County Court.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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