Family Life

10.16.12 | Sarah Harnisch

Ten western Pennsylvania counties are getting almost 14-million dollars to deal with the impact of gas drilling. Allegheny County will receive more than one-million dollars, almost as much as Fayette and Westmoreland Counties. The impact-fee law was passed in february and it will distribute the 50-thousand-dollar per-well fee drillers are charged.  The money must be spent on handling environmental and social programs and fixing sewage and road systems, among other work.

This is a listing of counties getting cash from the new drilling fee.
Getting at least $1 million apiece are:
-Allegheny County, $1.1 million.
-Bradford County, $8.4 million.
-Clearfield County, $1.15 million.
-Fayette County, $1.45 million.
-Greene County, $3.1 million.
-Lycoming County, $4 million.
-Philadelphia County, $1.3 million.
-Susquehanna County, $3.9 million.
-Tioga County, $4.8 million.
-Washington County, $4.4 million.
-Westmoreland County, $1.7 million.

Other notables:
-Armstrong County, $570,000.
-Butler County, $897,000.
-Centre County, $660,000.
-Lawrence Township, Clearfield County (population 7,700): $970,000.
-Clinton County, $739,000.
-Redstone Township, Fayette County (population 5,600): $377,000.
-Greene and Lycoming counties both have three townships that each got $500,000 or more. Susquehanna County (population 43,000) and Washington County have four and Tioga County (population 42,000) has five.
-Pleasant Valley Township, Potter County (population 86): $123,000.
-Potter County (population 17,000): $554,000.
-Sullivan County (population 6,400): $386,000.
-Washington Township, Wyoming County (population 1,400): $490,000
Other larger pieces of pie:
-Department of Environmental Protection, $6 million.
-Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, environmental stewardship fund, $7.2 million.

Source: Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission