{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-349.140","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 349.140","heading":"Establishment of affirmative defense for willful trespass arising from","body":"coalbed methane drilling operations.\nIn any case where title to subsurface minerals has been severed in such a way that title to\nnatural gas underlying the tract and title to coal underlying the tract are in different\npersons, it shall be an affirmative defense to any action for willful trespass arising from\nthe drilling, development, operation, and production of coalbed methane from any coal\nseam or gob area underlying the tract, t hat the operator of the coalbed methane well\npermitted, drilled, completed, and produced the coalbed methane well under color of title\nof any instrument, deed, or lease for oil and gas purposes from the gas owner, or any\ninstrument, deed, or lease for coal mining purposes from the coal owner.","path":["KRS Chapter 349"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=32751","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:58:35Z","sha256":"7cd9b46002e30aa04d3f44d622e8898b7b0fdd73f75d038adecea938eaa7a559","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-349.135","next":"us-ky/krs-349.145"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}