When the surface and minerals are owned by separate parties, however, these provisions may be overlooked by a mineral owner. A surface owner should seek to seek to be involved in lease negotiations with an eye to including surface protections in the agreement. This involvement is usually sought by reaching an agreement with the mineral owner that will allow for surface owner involvement in negotiations or an agreement that the mineral owner will require certain terms be include in all mineral leases. The type of surface-protection terms that could be negotiated, for example, include a requirement that a surface owner and the mineral lessee mutually agree on the location of any wells or other drilling activities, a clause requiring the operator to place the surface back into the same condition that it was prior to drilling being commenced once drilling is completed, or including a liquidated damage clause in the lease that would require the oil company to pay a set amount at the beginning of the lease to cover surface damages.
I've been cancer-free for seven years, all because I listened to my team of physicians, stayed consistent with my mammograms and got an early-stage diagnosis that saved my life. Our pink paper is a reminder of the importance of mammograms, whether for you, your wife, mother, daughter, sister or friend. We're donating a portion of profits from single-copy sales of today's paper to the American Cancer Society and will be handing out breast cancer awareness wristbands outside the Union, Ogilvie and Millennium train stations this morning. So, buy one, five or 10 additional pink papers to send to friends and family, and help us spread the word! Together, we can answer cancer. Pamela Henson is senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Chicago Sun-Times.