Owlett Announces Nearly $6 Million in Natural Gas Impact Fees for Tioga County

June 23, 2025

HARRISBURG – State Rep. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford) and Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) announced today nearly $6 million in impact fees from the natural gas drilling industry are coming back to Tioga County and its municipalities.

“The impact fee plays a vital role in helping our communities address the impacts of drilling while also benefitting from the jobs the industry creates,” Owlett said. “I am pleased to see this funding coming back home instead of being doled out by Harrisburg.” 

“The Impact Fee not only funds critical projects locally but also a wide variety of important environmental projects in communities throughout the state,” Yaw said. “The natural gas industry has been a great partner in creating new jobs and opportunities, and today’s announcement is another reminder of the importance of this industry in Pennsylvania.”

For the reporting year of 2024, natural gas producers paid nearly $165 million in impact fees statewide, for a total of nearly $2.9 billion over the past 13 years.

Tioga County government will receive more than $2.1 million in impact fee revenues, while the county’s municipalities will collectively receive more than $3.8 million. 

Under Act 13 of 2012, impact fees are collected from natural gas drilling companies with 60% returned to counties and municipalities affected by drilling. The rest of the money goes into a Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund, a portion of which is provided to counties. The remaining funds are used by the state for emergency response planning, training and other activities; water, storm water, and sewer system construction and repair; infrastructure maintenance and repair; as well as statewide environmental initiatives.

For a full list of disbursements made under Act 13, visit www.puc.pa.gov and click on Act 13 Impact Fee Distribution.
 


Representative Clint Owlett
68th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives