The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee will hold an informational meeting on February 8 on two bills that would impose a severance tax on natural gas production.  The bills on the agenda include--

-- House Bill 1536 (Petri-R-Bucks) imposes a 5.5 percent severance tax, eliminates the Act 13 drilling impact fee and distributes the revenue based on the provisions of Act 13.  Any additional revenue would be deposited in the General Fund (sponsor summary); and

-- House Bill 82 (Harper-R-Montgomery) imposes a 3.5 percent severance tax and leaves in place the existing Act 13 drilling impact fee.  Revenue would fund public school employee pensions (sponsor summary).

The meeting will be held in Room 140 Main Capitol starting at 11:00 a.m.

Rep. John Maher (R-Allegheny) serves as Majority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to: jmaher@pahousegop.com, and Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net. 

NewsClips:

New Severance Tax Proposal From Drilling Country

AP: Natural Gas Income From State Forests Takes Big Fall

Low Natural Gas Prices Cuts Impact Fee Revenue

Swift: Wolf Considers Growing Greener Reboot

2/8/2016