Why not a checkoff?

[SW1-32-5-4]

In this time of "let's all get the farmer" it is time to strategicaly turn the tables on government and industry who take advantage of us at every opportunity. We just sit and complain but fail to take any action as costs skyrocket. What I am suggesting is land owners collectively could implement a surcharge or checkoff on every vehicle that enters his land for oil patch action. Surface leases that have little traffic would pay little but busy leases would pay more. This could be added to any surface lease agreement upon initial negotiation. Hunters and trespassers could be required to buy a pass to get on our land. It's time we put a little bite in property rights. Why should we always be victims of all others in the economy chain?

[cowman]

Actually SW the oil company is already paying you to enter the lease? It's called the yearly rent?
I do agree though that there should be provisions where you can charge people to enter your land for other purposes? For example, hunters? However the Alberta Fish and Game has fought that idea tooth and nail, as they figure it is the right of the hunter to shoot whatever he desires, where ever he desires!
To police all trespassers would in reality cost more than you could probably ever squeeze out of the system?
And by the way, we almost have to beg hunters to come out and keep the deer in check around here! By the time the hunter pays all his fees, goes through all the garbage for a gun/ammo, and pays outrageous fees to get it cut up...he would be way ahead going down to Safeway and buying some tasty beef rather than eat that smelly old deer!

[cakadu]

Cowman, many hunters that are serious about hunting will ask for permission to enter lands. As someone who has been married for many years to an avid hunter, there is so much more to it than just going and shooting something. I don't get it, but he does, so who am I to judge what is so very important to him. I agree that by the time we add up all the costs, it is probably cheaper just to go and buy some meat at the store.

For me, SW, I would like to see the oil companies doing the reclamations etc. that they are supposed to be doing. I do know that they are much more environmentally friendly than they have been in the past and I would like to see that enhanced. The drilling activity is phenomenal right now and we need to have a benchmark on things to have a better idea of what kind of footprint we are leaving.

[cakadu]

The Auditor General's report about the possible loss of billions of dollars in oil revenue to the province may perk up the powers that be to start looking after the interest of Albertans, and possibly the oil companies may find they are not in total control. I find that reclamation processes are long and arduous to say the least.
If the company is busy with huge projects they will let a reclamation process go on for years, paying the annual rent is small potatoes compared to the reclamation costs .

I have two such procedures going on currently on my property, one is an old lease site that the company was ordered by AB Env to reclaim to a higher standard, so that one is taking forever and requires constant vigilance on my part.

[cowman]

Linda: The day of the yahoo type of hunter is pretty well over? Only the serious guys are left and they are responsible.
Used to have a couple of school teachers who came out to hunt as well as a cop. Now none of them are still hunting...to much garbage over draws and extra fees and things like that? Now the darned deer are over running the country as well as the moose! Not to mention the coyotes and fox! Can't hardly keep a cat around the place as the foxes and coyotes seem to prefer them.