The Environmental Quality Board will consider the final regulation increasing oil and gas well permits fees at its meeting on January 21. It is the only issue on the agenda.
The final regulation, unchanged from the proposed version, would increase the fee per Marcellus Shale well by about $1,800 per nonvertical well and $2,200 per vertical well. Without the fee increase, DEP would start running a deficit over the next few months.
DEP said the fee increase is necessary because of a 22 percent decrease in the number of Marcellus Shale well permit applications received by the department.
The cost to DEP to regulate Marcellus Shale wells has increased due to the new requirements included in Act 13 of 2012 and the 23.5 percent increase in the number of actual wells drilled requiring inspections.
The meeting will be in Room 105 Rachel Carson Building in Harrisburg starting at 9:00.
For more information, visit the Environmental Quality Board webpage.
