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Sen. Mary Jo White Defends Senate GOP Actions On Severance Tax
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Sen. Mary Jo White (R-Venango), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, this week wrote at letter in response to an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette defending actions by Senate Republicans on the Marcellus Shale severance tax. Here's the text of the letter-- "Your recent article “Rendell To Order Halt To Gas Wells” distorts the Senate Republican caucus’ position on a reasonable natural gas severance tax.
"While outlining in specific detail Gov. Rendell’s preferred tax rate, the Post Gazette says that Senate Republicans favor a tax of 1.5 percent for the first five years of a tax, “later rising a bit.” In excluding the actual tax rate proposed by the Senate Republicans – which was shared with the Post Gazette – your readers are left to wonder what is meant by “rising a bit.”
"In fact, the Senate Republican proposal includes a tax rate of 5 percent after the first 60 months of a well’s production – the same end rate as Governor Rendell. Senate Republicans have recognized the need for a lower initial rate to encourage investment in the Commonwealth and help recover up-front costs, which can easily exceed $5 million per well. Ironically, even House Democratic leaders have expressed support for this concept, but have failed to outline an alternative plan to back up this recognition.
"Finally, your readers may be interested to know that there have actually been three leases of state forest land for Marcellus Shale development, not two. The Post Gazette report omits the $120 million, no bid private lease agreement entered into between Governor Rendell and Anadarko earlier this spring.
"By providing details of Governor Rendell’s proposals and comparing them to ambiguous generalities of a competing plan, the Post Gazette’s readers are deprived of their opportunity to make an informed opinion. I urge the Post Gazette to be more thorough in its future reporting."
For more information, visit the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee webpage. NewsClips: Ridge Expects A Marcellus Shale Tax
Corbett Rally Draws Anti-Natural Gas Drilling Crowd
Supporters, Drilling Critics Greet Corbett GOP State Senators Seek Shale Talks |
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11/1/2010 |
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