Shrinking Natural Gas Royalties

Natural gas royalties from fracking are seen as a bonanza for farmers struggling to make their land profitable. But an investigation by ProPublica has revealed that some natural gas companies are slashing the amounts they pay farmers for the use of their land.

Farmers struggling to make a living from their land have welcomed gas companies that want to drill for natural gas on their property. Yet all too often royalty payments don’t measure up to the promises. Reporter Abrahm Lustgarten of ProPublica tells host Steve Curwood about his investigation.