Act 13 Will be Collected Next Month

Act 13 otherwise known as the "Unconventional Gas Well Impact Fee," was signed into law this spring. Beginning next month it will be collected for the first time. The Act imposes a drilling impact fee on the hydraulic fracturing wells used to access natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation.  The 37 counties where the wells have been drilled - including McKean, Potter, Elk and Cameron - enacted ordinances imposing the fee upon producers, and will be entitled to a portion of the fees due by Sept. 1 to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. That money will then be divided by the cities in the county to use for a variety of projects from infrastructure improvements to emergency preparednes.