Gov. Tom Corbett Wednesday announced the Commonwealth Financing Authority approved $16.4 million in funding to support 106 projects through seven Act 13 Marcellus Legacy Fund programs designed to support conservation projects and environmental protection measures throughout Pennsylvania.

“We established these programs to ensure a portion of the Marcellus Shale impact fee collected goes back to local communities to support environmental enhancement and conservation programs,” Gov. Corbett said. “The Act 13 funding approved today by the CFA will provide $16.4 million to our local communities.”

The 106 projects approved today are located in 36 counties: Adams, Allegheny, Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Cambria, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Indiana, Jefferson, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Tioga, Union, Washington, Westmoreland and Wyoming.

The funds were a part of the $44.9 million made available over the past three years to fund the Marcellus Legacy Fund programs administered by the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

The Act 13 Marcellus Legacy Fund programs include Orphan or Abandoned Well Plugging, Watershed Restoration and Protection, Baseline Water Quality Data, Flood Mitigation, Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement and Treatment, Sewage Facilities, and Greenways, Trails and Recreation programs.

Act 13, which Gov. Corbett signed into law in 2012, authorized counties to impose an impact fee on unconventional natural gas wells. To date, the fee generated more than $630 million that is benefitting every Pennsylvanian. The majority of the revenues are distributed to local governments where drilling is taking place, with the remainder of the money used for statewide initiatives.

The programs are administered jointly by the Department of Community and Economic Development, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Department of Environmental Protection, under the direction of the CFA.

A list of projects funded is available online.

For more information, visit the Commonwealth Financing Authority website.

10/27/2014