--- title: Owner of Subsurface Rights Below National Forest Allowed To Sue USFS For Interference With Those Rights description: A court recently rejected the government’s request to throw out a lawsuit brought by a company which held the rights to below-ground oil and gas resources on the Allegheny National Forest.  The company filed a claim for damages against the US Forest Service based on the agency allegedly interfering with its rights to access and […] --- [Skip to main content](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/owner-of-subsurface-rights-below-national-forest-allowed-to-sue-usfs-for-interference-with-those-rights#main) [![The Garden Law Firm P.C. Logo](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Garden%20Law%20Firm%20P.C.%20Logo.jpg?width=325&height=37&name=The%20Garden%20Law%20Firm%20P.C.%20Logo.jpg) ![The Garden Law Firm P.C. 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The court noted that at the turn of the 19th century, the land now comprising the Allegheny National Forest was privately owned.  When the federal government purchased the land to create the national forest, it deliberately only purchased the surface estate, leaving the subsurface estate in private hands.  Under Pennsylvania law, the subsurface estate is the dominant estate which means the owner has a right, with reasonable restrictions, to go on the surface of the land in order to conduct any extraction of the resources.  And under the state law, improperly interfering with that right can be illegal.  Thus, the court allowed the company to proceed with its claim for lost profits due to the alleged deliberate efforts by the US Forest Service to prevent it from drilling in the national forest. **Tags:** [Case Commentaries](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/case-commentaries) ![Kevin Garden](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kevin%20Garden%20of%20The%20Garden%20Law%20Firm%202024.jpg?width=50&height=50&name=Kevin%20Garden%20of%20The%20Garden%20Law%20Firm%202024.jpg) Post by [Kevin Garden](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/author/kevin-garden) Whether you're a large-scale concessioner, a small family business, a guide, an outfitter, or an individual doing business or recreating on federal land, Kevin Garden has the experience and perspective to help. [Follow me on my website](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com) [Follow me on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066387593247) [Follow me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-garden-1315b330/) [Follow me on Twitter](https://twitter.com/gardenlawfirm) ### Related Articles ##### [![Supreme Court Narrows Scope Of Impacts To Be Evaluated Under NEPA](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/The%20image%20depicts%20a%20train%20track%20being%20constructed%20in%20a%20forest%20area-1.jpeg?width=520&height=294&name=The%20image%20depicts%20a%20train%20track%20being%20constructed%20in%20a%20forest%20area-1.jpeg) Case Commentaries Supreme Court Narrows Scope Of Impacts To Be Evaluated Under NEPA 1 min read](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/supreme-court-narrows-scope-of-impacts-to-be-evaluated-under-nepa) ##### [![Court Suspends Forest Service From Enforcing Its Decision To Deny A Special Use Permit](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/A%20serene%20landscape%20of%20the%20San%20Bernardino%20National%20Forest%20unfolds%20showcasing%20tall%20majestic%20pine%20trees%20reaching%20towards%20a%20clear%20blue%20sky%20In%20the%20foregrou-1.jpeg?width=520&height=294&name=A%20serene%20landscape%20of%20the%20San%20Bernardino%20National%20Forest%20unfolds%20showcasing%20tall%20majestic%20pine%20trees%20reaching%20towards%20a%20clear%20blue%20sky%20In%20the%20foregrou-1.jpeg) Forest Service Court Suspends Forest Service From Enforcing Its Decision To Deny A Special Use Permit 1 min read](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/court-suspends-forest-service-from-enforcing-its-decision-to-deny-a-special-use-permit) ##### [![Court Clarifies Forest Service and Campground Permittee Liability For Injuries To Visitors](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/The%20image%20depicts%20a%20person%20on%20crutches%20in%20a%20forest%20campground.jpeg?width=520&height=294&name=The%20image%20depicts%20a%20person%20on%20crutches%20in%20a%20forest%20campground.jpeg) Forest Service Court Clarifies Forest Service and Campground Permittee Liability For Injuries To Visitors 1 min read](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/court-clarifies-forest-service-and-campground-permittee-liability-for-injuries-to-visitors) ### Sign up for news from Garden Law Make informed decisions in your business as a concessioner, guide, or outfitter on federal lands. Subscribe to From the Garden blog to stay up to date! ###### Categories - [Industry News](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/industry-news) - [Case Commentaries](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/case-commentaries) - [Alerts](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/alerts) - [Forest Service](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/forest-service) - [Forest Service campground concessions](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/forest-service-campground-concessions) ###### Recent Posts - [New Federal Contractor Minimum Wage Requires Government To Compensate Procurement Contractor](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/new-federal-contractor-minimum-wage-requires-government-to-compensate-procurement-contractor) - [US Forest Service Is Incorporating AI Into Its Environmental Reviews Of Infrastructure Projects](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/us-forest-service-is-incorporating-ai-into-its-environmental-reviews-of-infrastructure-projects) - [Forest Service Approves Private Construction Of A New Recreation Facility Under A Term Permit](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/forest-service-approves-private-construction-of-a-new-recreation-facility-under-a-term-permit) - [Court Finds Forest Service Regulation Prohibiting Unauthorized Commercial Activity Invalid In The Case Of A Social Media Influencer](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/court-finds-forest-service-regulation-prohibiting-unauthorized-commercial-activity-invalid-in-the-case-of-a-social-media-influencer) - [National Park Service Requests Cuts To Its Own Budget](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/national-park-service-requests-cuts-to-its-own-budget) [![Garden Law Firm logo transp](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/hubfs/Garden%20Law%20Firm%20logo%20transp.png)](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com) 66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 505 Alexandria, VA 22314 Tel: (703) 535-5565 - - - - Explore Garden Law - [About](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/about) - [Legal Notices](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/garden-law-website-legal-notices) - [Contact Us](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/contact-garden-law) - Resources - [From the Garden Blog](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden) - [The Concessioner's Toolbox](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/the-concessioners-toolbox-diy-legal-resources-for-concessioners) - [Sign up for News from Garden Law](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/sign-up-for-the-latest-news-from-garden-law) ©2026 The Garden Law Firm, P.C. 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