Jun. 20, 2023
HARRISBURG – Fifty municipalities in Bradford and Wyoming counties within the 110th Legislative District along with the two counties, will share over $18.35 million in impact fee revenue derived from natural gas producers in Pennsylvania during 2022, according to Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Wyoming).
“I do have many opportunities to realize what these impact fees mean to our local municipalities in the 110th Legislative District,” said Pickett. “They have adequate equipment for road and bridge maintenance. They can make purchases that improve public safety. They also have funding for enhancing parks and other recreational facilities, which benefits the wellness of their citizens. In addition, many natural gas company employees serve their communities through involvement in nonprofits or as emergency first responders, with the blessing of management.”
The following impact fee revenue amounts were announced today by the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) for the two counties and their eligible municipalities that are part of the district represented by Pickett. Payment checks will be distributed in early July by the state Treasury.
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Bradford – $7.1 million to the county, and a total of $6.89 million for municipalities.
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Wyoming – $1.6 million to the county, and a total of $2.77 million for municipalities.
Pickett noted that Bradford County, with 1,586 wells, ranked third in terms of impact fees received, behind Washington County in western Pennsylvania and neighboring Susquehanna County.
A record amount of nearly $279 million was generated statewide for the 2022 production year, an increase of over $44 million, or 19%, over last year’s collection total. The increase is attributed to higher natural gas prices and the addition of 575 new wells in the drilling regions of the state. Previously, the most revenue generated by the impact fee was $252 million in 2018.
Since impact fees went into effect in 2012 following the enactment of Act 13, more than $2.5 billion has been returned to communities across Pennsylvania, according to the PUC, the agency charged with collection. Sixty percent of the total impact fee revenue is divided among municipalities with drilling activity, while the remaining 40% is collected for statewide uses through the Marcellus Legacy Fund. Local counties also see a share of that revenue.
Bradford County projects supported through the Marcellus Legacy Fund include the Recreational Master Plan for the former Camptown School, the Cayuta Creek Bank Stabilization Project, the Parks Master Plan, and Diohoga Trail Development (Phase III). In Wyoming County, funding was awarded for the South Branch Mehoopany Creek Streambank Stabilization Project and the Joint Municipal Park Facilities and Playgrounds Project.
Read the breakdown of
impact fee revenue by municipality in the 110th Legislative District.
For more information, visit
www.PUC.pa.gov.
Representative Tina Pickett
110th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives