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Yesterday the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) posted detailed information about this year’s distribution of last year’s impact fees generated by natural gas producers. Great news! PA raised $278.8 million from Act 13 impact fees (PA’s version of a severance tax). That is the HIGHEST amount raised and distributed by impact fees since the beginning of the program (and $44 million higher than last year). The impact fee is based, in part, on the NYMEX Henry Hub price of natural gas. The HH price soared last year--to levels we haven't seen in over a decade. County and municipal governments directly affected by drilling are receiving $157 million for the 2022 reporting year--a little over half of the revenue raised. The rest goes into the black hole of Harrisburg, where PA politicians use it as play money for their favorite causes.
