Independent Fiscal Office Estimates 2025 Act 13 Drilling Impact Fee To Yield $243.9 Million, $79.3 Million More Than In 2024

On June 9, the Independent Fiscal Office reported the 2025 Act 13 shale gas drilling impact fee should yield $243.9 million, $79.3 million more than in 2024 and the most since the record $278.9 million in 2022.

The increase in revenue is welcome, because revenue had also been down in 2024 to $164.6 million and $179.6 million in 2023, and far below the record $278.9 million in 2022.

The inconsistent revenue from the Act 13 fees makes holes in county and municipal budgets when years are lean.

The annual impact fees are calculated based on a formula in law that includes the price of natural gas which was high-- $3.43, an increase of $1.16 (51%) from the prior year.

There were 442 new shale gas wells subject to the highest fee, an increase of 138 over last year.

Because of the unpredictable amount of the tax, the IFO said the effective tax rate on shale gas well drillers dropped from 2.7& in 2024 to 1.6% in 2025.

FY 2026

The IFO said if natural gas prices remain high and there is flat growth in the number of new shale gas wells, the 2026 revenue from the Act 13 fee should show a modest 2% increase to $248 million.

Click Here for a copy of the report.

To learn more about distribution of revenue from the Act 13 fee, visit the PUC Act 13 Fee webpage.

Related Articles This Week:

-- PennLive - John Beauge: Attorney General Sunday Files Criminal Charges Against Eureka Resources For Oil & Gas Wastewater Leaks From Its Now Closed Standing Stone Facility In Wysox Twp., Bradford County 

-- House Committee Moves Bills To Prohibit Road Dumping Contaminated Groundwater Released By Conventional Oil & Gas Well Drilling; Setting Minimum Standards For Power Plant Community Benefit Agreements; Encouraging Native Insect Habitats  [PaEN] 

-- State Budget Brief: DEP Oil & Gas Program Enforcement & Permitting Staff Has Been Frozen For Last 10 Years, Meanwhile Drilled Shale Gas Wells Increased By Nearly 50%  [PaEN]

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-- The Street: New Fortress Energy LNG Gas Bankruptcy Splits Company Into 2 Different Entities -CoreCo And BrazilCo, Records Show It Never Generated A Cent Of Positive Cash Flow [Planned PA Facilities] 

-- Institute For Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: New Fortress Energy LNG Gas Company Bankruptcy Reveals Financial Misstatements, Systemic Mismanagement, Operational Failures [Planned PA Facilities] 

[Posted: June 9, 2026]  PA Environment Digest