The Associated Press reports Pennsylvania’s counties and municipal governments will see the lowest level of annual fee revenue to date from Marcellus Shale gas wells, as drilling slowed and prices dropped during the pandemic.

Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News photo
Kathy Whyte/ WNBF News photo
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The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission reports that impact fee revenue from Marcellus Shale wells fell $54 million from 2019 levels to $146 million in 2020.

The impact fee was authorized by legislators in 2012 as new drilling sites were being developed all through the Marcellus gas play.

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The average price for natural gas has varied over the years and last year dropped to $2.08 per unit. The per-unit price in 2019 was $2.63.

AP reports Pennsylvania also saw the fewest number of new wells drilled during the pandemic than in any year since the law was enacted.

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