On January 9, the Independent Fiscal Office issued its annual projection of revenue for the Act 13 drilling impact fee which shows a $53.6 million drop in revenue is expected for CY 2019 fee collections to $198.2 million from $251.8 million in CY 2018 fees.

The IFO said the primary cause for the 21 percent drop was falling natural gas prices which dropped below the $3.00 trigger in the law causing a $5,000 per horizontal well decrease in the impact fee.

There also was a $7.5 million decrease for disputed CY 2018 fee payments and a $3.8 million increase as new wells drilled offset aging wells which pay a lower fee.

The impact fee is distributed to counties and municipalities, helps fund county conservation districts and statewide environmental programs through the Marcellus Legacy Fund.

In recent years, monies from the Marcellus Legacy Fund have been used to support the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program which is expected to run out of funding shortly. 

Even though impact fee revenue was at nearly an all time high last year, no monies from the Legacy Fund were transferred to the Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund as they normally are. Click Here for more.

Impact fees are paid in April and distributed in July by the Public Utility Commission.  To learn more about how the fees are invested, visit the PUC’s Act 13 Impact Fee webpage.

Click Here for a copy of the report.

NewsClips:

Report: Pennsylvania A Leader In U.S. Natural Gas Production Growth

It’s A Team Effort: Restoring The Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Letter: A Promise To Protect The Susquehanna - Seneca Nation Sacred Site Committee

Op-Ed: It’s Time For PA To Step Up And Help Push Chesapeake Bay Cleanup - CBF

Op-Ed: Federal Funding Increase For Clean Water A Downpayment, Now PA Has To Step Up

Editorial: Meet Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Goals

PA Still Has Work To Do To Clean Up The Chesapeake Bay, Experts Tell Lawmakers

Lycoming County Authority Approves Multi-Municipal Stormwater Management Plan [Local Leadership In Sen. Yaw’s District]

Mike Reuther: Lycoming County Groups: Healthy Streams Promote Fish Numbers [Local Leadership In Sen. Yaw’s District]

To Protect The Eastern Hellbender, Teenagers Made It The State Amphibian

CBF-PA: Making It Rain At The Farm Show

Sen. Yaw Elected Chair Of Tri-State Chesapeake Bay Commission

Sen. Yaw’s Fertilizer Bill Aims To Reduce Pollution Going Into Streams

Rep. Everett Will Not Run For Reelection, Member Of Chesapeake Bay Commission

Members Of Congress Demand To Know If EPA Is Backing Away From Chesapeake Bay Enforcement

CBF: Statement On U.S. Senate Passage Of Bill Increasing Funding For Chesapeake Bay Program

Bay Journal: Maryland Governor Ready To Sue PA, EPA Over Lagging Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Effort

Maryland Governor Directs His AG To Commence Litigation Against PA, EPA Over Chesapeake Bay

Maryland Governor Seeks Lawsuit Against PA, EPA Over Lagging Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

Maryland Governor Moves To Sue PA For Falling Short In Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

Bay Journal: Climate Change In Spotlight As Maryland, Virginia Lawmakers Convene

Related Article:

Report: Sen. Yaw: Raising Enough Money To Implement PA’s Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Plan-- Isn't Going To Happen

Senate Environmental Committee Puts Spotlight On Funding Needed To Implement PA Clean Water Plan At Chesapeake Bay Briefing

Dean & Rebecca Jackson Of Mt-Glen Farms In Bradford County Receive PA Leopold Conservation Award

Reminder: Talk To Your State Senator Student Video Contest -- How To Support Agriculture In PA?   How About Funding Farm Conservation Measures?

CBF Blog: Flood & Fees: How A Pennsylvania Town Found A Fix For Stormwater

Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Level 1 Certification Training Set For Jan. 27-28 In Lancaster

First Meetings Of DEP Regional Water Resources Committees Jan. 14, 16 - Join Online; PA Clean Water Academy Presentation Available On State Water Plan Process

[Posted: January 9, 2020]

1/13/2020