I actually did read the article, including where the guys parents allowed the companies to drill on their property multiple times and were even paid by the oil company for a small part of what was taken from their land. That’s my point. It was fine before the consequences, but now that the consequences have arrived, it’s some form of tragedy. No. It isn’t. You and your parents were paid for the risk. You don’t get to plead austerity when you salted your own fields with greed decades ago.
This guy and his parents got theirs for over 100 years out of this land and are now crying because their decisions allowed them to destroy it. We need another flood for people like this.
They didn’t need to sell the mineral rights because they never owned them. They had people on their land, which they did own, and accepted payment instead of chasing them off. Probably even thought it was a good deal at the time. And that’s what I’ve been getting at this whole time. These people are quibbling over who owns what and who should compensate who instead of questioning the bigger issue of mining for hazardous resources immediately adjacent to food production. Nobody gives a shit about anyone down the line. Parents, landowners, oil companies, nobody.