HARRISBURG – Counties and municipalities in the 46th Senatorial District will receive a total of nearly $34.4 million in funding as a result of the impact fee levied on unconventional natural gas wells in 2017, according to Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46).
Beaver, Greene and Washington counties will receive a combined total of more than $12.7 million in revenues, and individual municipalities within the 46th District will receive a combined total of more than $21.6 million.
“This funding highlights the significance of the natural gas industry in promoting our local economy,” Bartolotta said. “Impact fee revenues support numerous projects throughout the region, and these improvements are another reminder of the importance of supporting the responsible development of our natural resources without saddling the industry with crippling regulations or onerous new taxes.”
Impact fees are levied in addition to regular business taxes paid by every corporation in Pennsylvania. The disbursements were based on a formula established in Act 13 of 2012 to ensure communities that are affected by drilling receive their fair share of funding for projects like road and bridge repairs, housing and other infrastructure needs.
Since 2011, the three counties in the 46th Senatorial District and their municipalities have received more than $184 million from the impact fee. Statewide, the impact fee has generated nearly $1.5 billion in tax revenue to date.
This year’s distribution of $209 million is a 21 percent increase over last year’s revenue. This year is the first year that impact fee revenue has increased statewide since 2014, Bartolotta said.
A complete list of disbursements to counties and municipalities is available on the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s website at www.puc.state.pa.us.
CONTACT: Colleen Greer (717) 787-1463