Home
News
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Chris Mobaldi and her husband, Steve, used to live in Rulison until Mobaldi's strange, increasing health problems drove them out.
Convinced their water supply was contaminated by nearby natural gas drilling, the Mobaldis walked away from their house and moved to Grand Junction.
Mobaldi is one of several Garfield County landowners interviewed in a new documentary titled “Split Estate.” Physicians, scientists and industry employees are also featured in the film.
“Split Estate” explores the effects of the natural gas industry on landowners in Colorado and New Mexico. The film is being shown tonight at Mesa State College.
In split estate situations, the surface rights and subsurface (mineral) rights for a piece of land are owned by different parties. According to the Bureau of Land Management, mineral rights in a split estate take precedence over other rights including those associated with owning (and living) on the surface.
“Split Estate” deals with health problems many landowners attribute to natural gas industry contamination of their water wells as well as the air they breath.
“Split Estate” premiered at the International Documentary Association's 13th annual DocuWeeks Theatrical Documentary Showcase in New York City and Los Angeles in August. Being invited to the showcase means the film qualifies for Academy Award consideration.
Tara Meixsell of Newcastle collaborated for about three years on the documentary with Santa Fe filmmaker Debra Anderson.
Meixsell used to work with Mobaldi who she said began exhibiting strange symptoms, and never fully recovered. Mobaldi will be at the screening tonight.
“She attributes all kinds of horrible illnesses to the wells and pits that surrounded her house,” Meixsell said. “It's incredibly heartbreaking.”
Meixsell said a neighbor of Mobaldi's also became sick and left the area after a physician told him the gas wells were causing his symptoms. His animals had something akin to chronic wasting disease, Meixsell said.
Nosebleeds, dizziness, splitting headaches, nausea are all common symptoms for landowners living near gas wells, Meixsell said.
Meixsell convinced Garfield County Commissioners to view the film Monday before making a decision regarding a hydraulic fracturing act resolution.
Many cities and counties have drafted resolutions concerning a bill that would require the oil and gas industry to disclose the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing — a process where chemical-laden fluids are injected underground to break up rock, releasing the oil or gas from the formation.
Convinced their water supply was contaminated by nearby natural gas drilling, the Mobaldis walked away from their house and moved to Grand Junction.
Mobaldi is one of several Garfield County landowners interviewed in a new documentary titled “Split Estate.” Physicians, scientists and industry employees are also featured in the film.
“Split Estate” explores the effects of the natural gas industry on landowners in Colorado and New Mexico. The film is being shown tonight at Mesa State College.
In split estate situations, the surface rights and subsurface (mineral) rights for a piece of land are owned by different parties. According to the Bureau of Land Management, mineral rights in a split estate take precedence over other rights including those associated with owning (and living) on the surface.
“Split Estate” deals with health problems many landowners attribute to natural gas industry contamination of their water wells as well as the air they breath.
“Split Estate” premiered at the International Documentary Association's 13th annual DocuWeeks Theatrical Documentary Showcase in New York City and Los Angeles in August. Being invited to the showcase means the film qualifies for Academy Award consideration.
Tara Meixsell of Newcastle collaborated for about three years on the documentary with Santa Fe filmmaker Debra Anderson.
Meixsell used to work with Mobaldi who she said began exhibiting strange symptoms, and never fully recovered. Mobaldi will be at the screening tonight.
“She attributes all kinds of horrible illnesses to the wells and pits that surrounded her house,” Meixsell said. “It's incredibly heartbreaking.”
Meixsell said a neighbor of Mobaldi's also became sick and left the area after a physician told him the gas wells were causing his symptoms. His animals had something akin to chronic wasting disease, Meixsell said.
Nosebleeds, dizziness, splitting headaches, nausea are all common symptoms for landowners living near gas wells, Meixsell said.
Meixsell convinced Garfield County Commissioners to view the film Monday before making a decision regarding a hydraulic fracturing act resolution.
Many cities and counties have drafted resolutions concerning a bill that would require the oil and gas industry to disclose the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing — a process where chemical-laden fluids are injected underground to break up rock, releasing the oil or gas from the formation.
The filmmaker also interviewed Weston Wilson, an environmental engineer in the EPA's Denver office who questions an Environmental Protection Agency study that declared fracking “poses little or no threat to drinking water.”
“The argument the industry clings to is ‘nobody can prove these things,'” Meixsell said. “I counter, the industry should prove they're not responsible. The landowners have been victimized and they are the losers.
“How can you prove you have not been damaged when you're not privy to the chemical mixtures?”
EnCana Oil and Gas USA spokesman Doug Hock said he has not seen the entire film, but that an EnCana representative watched the film Monday in Garfield County.
“We would say it is well-done for one point of view,” Hock said. “As a fair and balanced discussion of the natural gas industry it fails. The incidents are not new.”
The free screening is being hosted by the college's Outdoor Program “Wednesday Night Wanderings.”
“Split Estate” will be shown again Oct. 17 on Discovery Channel's “Planet Green,” a 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network series.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
“The argument the industry clings to is ‘nobody can prove these things,'” Meixsell said. “I counter, the industry should prove they're not responsible. The landowners have been victimized and they are the losers.
“How can you prove you have not been damaged when you're not privy to the chemical mixtures?”
EnCana Oil and Gas USA spokesman Doug Hock said he has not seen the entire film, but that an EnCana representative watched the film Monday in Garfield County.
“We would say it is well-done for one point of view,” Hock said. “As a fair and balanced discussion of the natural gas industry it fails. The incidents are not new.”
The free screening is being hosted by the college's Outdoor Program “Wednesday Night Wanderings.”
“Split Estate” will be shown again Oct. 17 on Discovery Channel's “Planet Green,” a 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network series.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
