Marcellus Shale Coalition president Dave Spigelmyer issued the following statement Tuesday regarding the Public Utility Commission’s disbursement of 2013’s nearly $225 million in shale impact fee tax revenues for local governments:
“Responsible shale development continues to be an economic lifeline for communities across the entire Commonwealth. These disbursements, which have increased more than 10 percent year-over-year, are providing critical revenues streams directly to local governments as well as for important environmental-focused programs.
“Act 13, a commonsense bipartisan law, aimed to strengthen our environmental regulations and ensure that local governments would realize these broad-based benefits, all while keeping Pennsylvania competitive and an attractive state to invest, grow jobs and do business. These tens of millions of dollars in increased tax revenues are proof positive that this law is working.
“While we’re making meaningful, shared gains as Pennsylvania continues to be a top natural gas-producing state – helping to create thousands of good jobs, especially in our manufacturing industry – elected officials should not unnecessarily curb this positive progress with uncompetitive, short-sighted policies. We must continue to lead and demonstrate to the country and the world that Pennsylvania is and will remain the Keystone State.”