Dear to whom it may concern,…

Dear to whom it may concern,

Developing a well security tax is not an effective idea because of all the issues around the gas wells in Haldimand and Norfolk counties.

1. most of the well owners in Haldimand County don't know that there is an opportunity to comment on proposed changes.
2. Most of the wells in the county were drilled before the end of the Second World War by gas companies that are not around anymore. Most of the land owners didn't ask for any of them to be drilled. They have them because the wells have been abandoned. There are cases where some of the wells are licensed but the property has changed hands several times since and the wells are not being used anymore..
3. Requiring people to post a security deposit will do nothing to solve any environmental issues. Through conversations with ministry staff and local well owners, it can be safely assumed that about one percent of the well owners are aware of this and most of them don't plan on closing their wells anytime soon.
4. In many cases there are more than one well on a property but only one is working. How would this be handled when there is a land transfer?

5. It's going to cost everyone an extra $1,500 to set up the trust fund plus an additional legal fee every time the agreement is touched.

6. Putting a security tax on licensed wells that are no longer producing wells at time of land transfer will likely cause people to do the wrong things. Sometimes it will be executors that have no understanding of what is involved who have to work through what will become an extra hardship. If the security becomes a reason the well in question does not qualify for the abandon works program at time of transfer, other neighbours may be encouraged to decommission wells themselves at no cost at all.

I have a farm and I have to treat the water for the livestock because of the many abandoned gas wells in the area. I hope the government can find a way to deal with the abandoned wells where the gas is freely mixing with the watering the ground. Requiring a security deposit from a very few land owners will definitely not encourage the rest of the well owners to get the government involved in the well plugging process on their properties.