82-10-501. Purpose -- legislative findings. (1) The purpose of this part is to provide for the protection of surface owners of land underlaid with oil and gas reserves while allowing for the necessary development of those reserves.
(2) To carry out the purpose described in subsection (1), the legislature finds that:
(a) it is necessary to protect the economic well-being of individuals engaged in agricultural production;
(b) exploration for and development of oil and gas reserves in this state, while necessary, interferes with the use, agricultural or otherwise, of the surface of certain land; and
(c) owners of the surface estate should be justly compensated for use of their property and interference with the use of their property due to oil and gas development.
History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 199, L. 1981.
Structure Montana Code Annotated
Title 82. Minerals, Oil, and Gas
Chapter 10. Oil and Gas -- General Provisions
Part 5. Surface Owner Damage and Disruption Compensation
82-10-501. Purpose -- legislative findings
82-10-503. Notice of drilling operations
82-10-504. Surface damage and disruption payments -- dispute resolution -- penalty for late payment
82-10-505. Liability for damages to property
82-10-506. Notification of injury
82-10-507. Agreement -- offer of settlement
82-10-508. Rejection -- legal action