Rep. Jamie Barton, Sen. Dave Argall, and Sen. Chris Gebhard have announced that Berks and Schuylkill counties will receive nearly $379,000 from natural gas impact fees. These fees are additional to the standard business taxes paid by corporations in Pennsylvania and were established in 2012 to ensure communities affected by drilling benefit financially.
Barton emphasized the significance of the natural gas industry for Pennsylvania: “It’s hard to overstate how important the natural gas industry is to Pennsylvania,” he stated. He highlighted both job creation and community investment as key benefits.
Argall noted that the funds would aid infrastructure projects: “These funds will support road and bridge repairs, conservation projects, and housing initiatives in our communities.” He pointed out that these contributions come alongside thousands of jobs sustained by the industry.
Gebhard remarked on the advantage of these distributions: “Impact Fee distributions are very beneficial because they fund important updates to our communities that enhance our lives – and none of the dollars come out of taxpayer pockets.” He stressed his aim to improve local amenities without adding financial burdens on taxpayers.
The complete list of disbursements can be found on the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s website.
