Voters in Pennsylvania stand on a precipice. If they elect a Democrat governor and restore Democrat control to the PA House and Senate, there is no doubt a severance tax will be enacted on shale drilling, *in addition to* the existing impact fee that has now collected over $630 million in three years. Such a tax would be an unmitigated disaster. It would almost completely stop shale drilling in Pennsylvania–and no, it’s not an empty threat or hyperbole to say so. It is reality. Need evidence? Last week PA’s Democrats introduced yet another bill that would implement a severance tax–HB 2508 (see it below). Fortunately the existing Act 13 has a provision that if a severance tax is ever enacted, the impact fee disappears. However, you can count on the Dems to repeal that part of the Act 13 law and double-dip on the drilling industry, thereby killing shale drilling in PA…
