My mother and I were looking for some advice/assistance on an area of land my family owns mineral rights on. My mother and 3 other groups of our extended family own the mineral rights to a 40 acre parcel of land in a county in Eastern Washington state. We recently received a letter from an energy company looking to have a Limited Waiver of Surface Rights signed by them so they can put in solar of some sort. The family no longer owns the actually land, it was sold at some point and was being used for pasture land. We were just wondering if there was anything we should know or do in regards to the request and if there are any rights we need to know about. They are offering a very small amount of money that based on what I can tell would be split 4 ways.
Thank you in advance for any info you can provide.
1 Like
In essence, the surface owner and solar company have agreed to install solar facilities and the severed minerals are a problem. No surprise that they do not propose sharing any significant revenues with you. Questions are what minerals or other rights you own (depends on specific language in deed severing the minerals and state law) and what rights of development you are giving up for the proposed consideration and what is value of those rights. Do you have any water rights? Any gravel, caliche, lignite, coal, sulphur, lithium, thermal rights, carbon storage, etc in addition to oil and gas? Any development in the area? What exactly are the tens of the so-called Limited Waiver ? Are there any time limitations or until all solar use ceases - under only this ck tray or all future solar contracts? What about other surface uses such as windmills? Washington energy attorney can best advise you on what rights you own and how thoae rights will be affected. And a clear understanding of the compensation, in terms of time and possible diminution of value of your minerals.
4 Likes