[cddotdotslash]

Very interesting! How does this work from an average citizen's perspective? If I had a spare $10k, could I simply go bid on some parcels, and (assuming I won the auction), simply let it sit for 10 years, thereby denying other companies the ability to exploit it?

[philwelch]

Environmentalists do things like this sometimes for specifically that reason.

Another way of simply buying more environmental protection from the federal government is to purchase SO2 allowances at auction. The US government runs a “cap and trade” system for sulphur dioxide emissions where prospective SO2 emitters have to buy allowances at auction for the tonnage of SO2 they will emit. Environmentalists frequently buy a chunk of allowances and refuse to resell them, reducing emissions even more while raising costs for polluters.

[ChainOfFools]

Is this one of the strategies used by the Nature Conservancy?

[philwelch]

I don't know. The Acid Rain Retirement Fund is a nonprofit that primarily bids in the SO2 allowance market.

[0_gravitas]

I'm surprised they don't get eminent-domain'd, not that I think they should, but I feel like that would be a ripe target for something like that

[gruez]

But why would it be subject to eminent domain? The land still belongs to the federal government. I don't think you can seize a lease just because the government doesn't think you're making optimal use of it.

[gowld]

Yes it can.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelo_v._City_of_New_London

[abj]

Wow this is unbelievable. Thanks for the link.

"The case arose in the context of condemnation by the city of New London, Connecticut, of privately owned real property, so that it could be used as part of a "comprehensive redevelopment plan." However, the private developer was unable to obtain financing and abandoned the redevelopment project, leaving the land as an _undeveloped empty lot._"

[nihilist_t21]

Yes you could! These lease sales can get quite expensive if they're worth anything to oil and gas companies. My company has been party to auctions for clients that have stretched into seven figures alone. Other times, many leases don't see a single bid and you could snatch up acreage for next to nothing.

EDIT: As the article and some Google searching shows, apparently the BLM can deny a lease on the basis of lack of intent to drill (or at least they are trying). I did not know this was something they could attempt and I stand (potentially) corrected. A major effort to raise money to tie up Federal minerals would likely create enough noise to where the BLM might try to deny leases.

[cddotdotslash]

Well now I'm even more intrigued. Online petitions and donations for "green" movements can routinely generate hundreds of thousands in donations.

It doesn't seem like it would be difficult (for the right person) to 1) create a non-profit 2) collect donations designated for the preservation of land 3) bid on key parcels, or even just strategic parcels. Imagine a 10,000 acre parcel where every other acre is owned by a non-profit (if it works that way).

[nihilist_t21]

> Imagine a 10,000 acre parcel where every other acre is owned by a non-profit (if it works that way)

This starts to get complicated and varies state to state. You don't have to (and often won't) control 100% of the minerals under a well you want to drill. Sometimes you will have partner companies (hostile or friendly), mineral rights owners who refuse to lease, or mineral rights whose ownership is undetermined. So just because a non-profit had a chunk of minerals tied up, a company could petition to the State's board of oil and gas to have the non-participant "forced-pooled" and the well could be drilled. This process involves hearings, oil and gas attorneys, and your typical bureaucratic processes. That said, if the non-profit owned a large enough interest it could very well force the economics of the potential well into unprofitable zones, despite the fact the oil and gas company could force a well.

[lozaning]

"My straw reaches across the room, and I drink your milkshake"

The vast majority of my mining/drilling knowledge comes from There Will Be Blood, which if (big if) is accurate would mean this plan wouldn't work.

If some person with actual knowledge said this was a valid strategy I'd certainly be willing to donate though.

[elliekelly]

This feels like something Cards Against Humanity would do. I would definitely buy a deck of cards that comes with an acre of land that can’t be touched for ten years.

[floatingatoll]

I once suggested an idea like this to them. Their reply was, simply:

> Why do we have to do everything?

Custom-printed decks of cards are insanely cheap. You should take your idea and run with it!

[late2part]

Hey Elliekelly - I'll help you get it funded, either with individuals or via kickstarter.

[elliekelly]

I very much appreciate the offer but I’m already a bit in over my head with one company so I don’t think I can manage a second. Anyone who is interested can definitely count me as a customer though :)

[mtnGoat]

i read a there was groups working on this with a strategy to buy the cheap plots making it more difficult to access and mine on other plots.

[shkkmo]

> Yes you could!

That seems to be up for debate as the article discusses people who did exactly this and had their lease denied.

[nihilist_t21]

Interesting! A quick Google search shows the BLM did deny the lease stating their lack of intent to drill. I did not know they had the ability to do that. I am inclined to believe now that a big effort to tie up Federal minerals would make too much noise and fail.