Court Dismisses But Allows Ark. Landowners to Amend Environmental Claims

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A federal judge agreed with gas drilling defendants that neighboring property owners' environmental claims lacked sufficient specificity to go forward, but he dismissed their claims without prejudice, giving them time to replead. Tucker, et ux. v. Southwestern Energy Co., et al., No. 1:11-cv-44-DPM and Berry v. Southwestern Energy Co., et al., Mo. 1:11-cv-45-DPM (E.D. Ark.).

Judge D.P. Marshall JR. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas said Feb. 17 that the plaintiffs need not plead their case with exactitude, but must give defendants "adequate notice of what and how each driller supposedly …