Governor’s Drilling Fee Plan Sells Pennsylvanians Short

“Governor Corbett has proposed a small, limited fee that fails to capture for Pennsylvanians the true worth of this vast natural resource, and fails to fully offset the short and long-term damage that will be done by the industry. The proposal sells Pennsylvanians short.

“Pennsylvania has been called the Saudi Arabia of natural gas. The Commonwealth should do what resource-rich countries like Saudi Arabia have done and use gas revenues to invest in our communities and build a stronger statewide economy. A more robust fee would support infrastructure, public investments and jobs across the state and would provide additional revenue to local governments to pay for the impacts of drilling.

“Other proposals now before the Legislature would generate far more than the Governor’s plan would for local and state impacts, and offer a better deal for Pennsylvanians.

“The Commonwealth should also move swiftly to put in place stronger regulations and improved enforcement to protect local communities and the environment. The best way to address the negative impacts of natural gas drilling is to avoid them.

“There is bipartisan support in the Legislature for a drilling tax or fee that supports shared priorities like education and health services, as well as local impacts and environmental protection. We hope the final drilling fee will adopt this approach and count all Pennsylvanians in.”