Shale Energy Development = Opportunity for Pennsylvanians

The energy stimulus from shale development last year in Pennsylvania is big – big as in approaching a number with nine zeroes:

• $202.4 million collected in state impact fees from energy producers.
• $731 million in rents and royalties paid to land and mineral rights owners.

That’s nearly $1 billion from the oil and natural gas industry in terms of tax revenues for government to allocate (more below) and payments to individuals.

Pennsylvania officials announced this week $202,472,000 was collected in producer-paid impact fees in 2012. About $204 million was collected for 2011, bringing the two-year total to more than $406.6 million, state officials said. Public Utility Commission Chairman Robert F. Powelson:

“The PUC is entrusted by the Governor and the legislature with the collection and distribution of the Impact Fee monies. Again, we have met all of the deadlines in the legislation, which contains a complex and specific formula for getting this money into the hands of local communities.”

Of the 2012 total, $102.6 million will be distributed to county and municipal governments whose jurisdictions are directly affected by drilling. Another $28 million will be distributed to state agencies impacted by drilling. The remaining $71.7 million will be placed in the state’s Marcellus Legacy Fund, which was set up to pay for environmental, highway, water and sewer projects, rehabilitation of greenways and other projects across the state. Stephanie Catarino Wissman, executive director of the Associated Petroleum Industries of Pennsylvania:

“Shale energy production has been generating huge revenues for Pennsylvania – in addition to driving double-digit job growth. This year alone Pennsylvania has collected more than $200 million in impact fees related to shale development. This is benefiting families and communities across the state. Shale energy development, made possible by hydraulic fracturing, has been a game-changing opportunity for Pennsylvanians, and it’s going to be good news for our economy for many years to come.”

Shale development also is good for the state’s land and mineral rights owners. A recent study by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy estimates that such payments have grown from $10.9 million in 2008 to the $731 million in 2013. That’s a growth rate of more than 6,600 percent – all thanks to shale development in the Marcellus play. That’s money individuals can use to secure family farms, start or strengthen family businesses, pay for their children’s education and more. In short, energy development is enabling broad opportunity and choices for a lot of people who previously might not have had either.

Meanwhile, in neighboring New York state …

The energy stimulus from shale development last year in Pennsylvania is big – big as in approaching a number with nine zeroes:

• $202.4 million collected in state impact fees from energy producers.
• $731 million in rents and royalties paid to land and mineral rights owners.

That’s nearly $1 billion from the oil and natural gas industry in terms of tax revenues for government to allocate (more below) and payments to individuals.

Pennsylvania officials announced this week $202,472,000 was collected in producer-paid impact fees in 2012. About $204 million was collected for 2011, bringing the two-year total to more than $406.6 million, state officials said. Public Utility Commission Chairman Robert F. Powelson:

“The PUC is entrusted by the Governor and the legislature with the collection and distribution of the Impact Fee monies. Again, we have met all of the deadlines in the legislation, which contains a complex and specific formula for getting this money into the hands of local communities.”

Of the 2012 total, $102.6 million will be distributed to county and municipal governments whose jurisdictions are directly affected by drilling. Another $28 million will be distributed to state agencies impacted by drilling. The remaining $71.7 million will be placed in the state’s Marcellus Legacy Fund, which was set up to pay for environmental, highway, water and sewer projects, rehabilitation of greenways and other projects across the state. Stephanie Catarino Wissman, executive director of the Associated Petroleum Industries of Pennsylvania:

“Shale energy production has been generating huge revenues for Pennsylvania – in addition to driving double-digit job growth. This year alone Pennsylvania has collected more than $200 million in impact fees related to shale development. This is benefiting families and communities across the state. Shale energy development, made possible by hydraulic fracturing, has been a game-changing opportunity for Pennsylvanians, and it’s going to be good news for our economy for many years to come.”

Shale development also is good for the state’s land and mineral rights owners. A recent study by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy estimates that such payments have grown from $10.9 million in 2008 to the $731 million in 2013. That’s a growth rate of more than 6,600 percent – all thanks to shale development in the Marcellus play. That’s money individuals can use to secure family farms, start or strengthen family businesses, pay for their children’s education and more. In short, energy development is enabling broad opportunity and choices for a lot of people who previously might not have had either.

Meanwhile, in neighboring New York state …

The energy stimulus from shale development last year in Pennsylvania is big – big as in approaching a number with nine zeroes:

• $202.4 million collected in state impact fees from energy producers.
• $731 million in rents and royalties paid to land and mineral rights owners.

That’s nearly $1 billion from the oil and natural gas industry in terms of tax revenues for government to allocate (more below) and payments to individuals.

Pennsylvania officials announced this week $202,472,000 was collected in producer-paid impact fees in 2012. About $204 million was collected for 2011, bringing the two-year total to more than $406.6 million, state officials said. Public Utility Commission Chairman Robert F. Powelson:

“The PUC is entrusted by the Governor and the legislature with the collection and distribution of the Impact Fee monies. Again, we have met all of the deadlines in the legislation, which contains a complex and specific formula for getting this money into the hands of local communities.”

Of the 2012 total, $102.6 million will be distributed to county and municipal governments whose jurisdictions are directly affected by drilling. Another $28 million will be distributed to state agencies impacted by drilling. The remaining $71.7 million will be placed in the state’s Marcellus Legacy Fund, which was set up to pay for environmental, highway, water and sewer projects, rehabilitation of greenways and other projects across the state. Stephanie Catarino Wissman, executive director of the Associated Petroleum Industries of Pennsylvania:

“Shale energy production has been generating huge revenues for Pennsylvania – in addition to driving double-digit job growth. This year alone Pennsylvania has collected more than $200 million in impact fees related to shale development. This is benefiting families and communities across the state. Shale energy development, made possible by hydraulic fracturing, has been a game-changing opportunity for Pennsylvanians, and it’s going to be good news for our economy for many years to come.”

Shale development also is good for the state’s land and mineral rights owners. A recent study by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy estimates that such payments have grown from $10.9 million in 2008 to the $731 million in 2013. That’s a growth rate of more than 6,600 percent – all thanks to shale development in the Marcellus play. That’s money individuals can use to secure family farms, start or strengthen family businesses, pay for their children’s education and more. In short, energy development is enabling broad opportunity and choices for a lot of people who previously might not have had either.

Meanwhile, in neighboring New York state …