"Pennsylvania's natural gas industry continues to play an important role in supporting our economy, strengthening our energy future, and providing tangible benefits to communities across the Commonwealth," said PUC Chairman Steve DeFrank. "The impact fee ensures that local governments and statewide programs share directly in those benefits, delivering funding for infrastructure, environmental improvements, public safety, and other priorities that improve quality of life for Pennsylvanians."
This year’s distribution brings the cumulative total of impact fees collected and distributed since 2012 to more than $3.12 billion.
Breakdown of Distribution
-- $133.8 million to counties and municipalities directly affected by drilling activity.
-- $89.2 million to the Marcellus Legacy Fund, which supports statewide environmental initiatives, greenways, and infrastructure projects.
-- $20.9 million to state agencies, as directed by Act 13.
The PUC has submitted this year’s distribution data to the Pennsylvania Treasury, which is expected to begin issuing payments in early July.
Nearly 32% of the county and municipal funds distributed go to two state Senate districts-- Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming)-- $39.1 million and Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Washington) nearly $38 million, heavy shale gas drilling areas.
Factors Affecting Distribution Amount
The 2025 distribution is approximately $79 million higher than last year’s total, due primarily to--
-- An increase in new wells spud in 2025 (444), compared to 309 in 2024.
-- A higher average natural gas price in 2025 ($3.43 per MMBtu), an increase over the 2024 average of $2.27.
Because new wells (“Year One” wells) are subject to the highest impact fee, fluctuations in their number can significantly affect annual collections.
Detailed Distribution Data
Extensive information about this year’s impact fees – including county- and municipality-level distributions, producer payments, and historical data – is available on the PUC’s Act 13 website.
Users can search individual distributions to counties and municipalities; review how funds were used based on local government reporting; and download data by year or region.
The PUC administers the collection and distribution of impact fees on unconventional gas wells, as established by Act 13 of 2012, to ensure that communities across Pennsylvania receive support for infrastructure and environmental improvements linked to natural gas development.
Click Here for the PUC announcement.
[Note: This fee is only paid by shale gas well owners with a total of 13,759 active well permits. Conventional oil and gas well owners with 85,721 active well permits pay nothing.]
[Note: The increase in revenue for 2025 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. Read more here.
[The inconsistent revenue from the Act 13 fees makes holes in county and municipal budgets when years are lean.]
PA Oil & Gas Industry, Public Notice Dashboards:
-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - June 13 to 19 - 4 Contaminated Groundwater Releases From Conventional Wells; Abandoned Conventional Well Violations Hit 300 [PaEN]
-- DEP Finds Large Releases Of Contaminated Groundwater From 2 Trinity Mineral Partners Conventional Oil & Gas Well Sites In Sugar Grove Twp., Warren County; That’s 3 Spill Sites This Week [PaEN]
-- DEP Finds Releases Of Contaminated Groundwater From Trinity Mineral Partners Conventional Oil & Gas Well Site In Brokenstraw Twp., Warren County, 3rd Site This Week [PaEN]
-- DEP Finds No Action Taken To Cleanup Contaminated Groundwater From Conventional Oil Well At A Site In Washington County For 936 Days [PaEN]
-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - June 20 [PaEN]
-- DEP Posted 51 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In June 20 PA Bulletin [PaEN]
-- Reminder: PUC Hearings On PPL Data Center Transmission Line Project In Luzerne County June 30
-- The Public Utility Commission published notice in the June 20 PA Bulletin of a July 13 telephonic hearing on a default electric service plan and advanced metering infrastructure surcharge by the Pike County Light and Power Company. PUC Docket No. P-2026-3062915
Related Articles This Week:
-- PUC Announced Distribution Of $243.8 Million In Act 13 Shale Gas Drilling Impact Fees For PA Communities, State Environmental, Other Programs [PaEN]
-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - June 22 [PaEN]
-- Guest Essay: For America's 250th, Let's Return Power To The Town Square - The Right To Plan Our Future, Protect Our Backyards, Have A Seat At The Table - By David M. Sanko, PA State Association Of Township Supervisors [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Rolling Stone/DeSmog - Justin Nobel: Her Son Died Of A Rare Bone Cancer, Could Unsecured Oil & Gas Equipment Waste Facility In Cecil Twp., Washington County Be To Blame?
-- Inquirer: Delta Monroe Energy Jet Fuel Refinery In Delaware County Shuts Down Due To Internal Leak
-- ProPublicia: President Plans To Protect Methane-Leaking Conventional /Stripper Oil & Gas Wells, Hilcorp Oil & Gas Company Owner To Benefit [Hilcorp Operates In PA]
-- In Case You Were Wondering: Breathe Project Cams: ‘Emergency’ Flares Still Burning At MarkWest Harmon Creek, Energy Transfer Revolution Natural Gas Processing Plants In Washington County 6.17.26
-- TribLive: New Shale Gas Wells, Higher Natural Gas Prices Raise State’s Drilling Impact Fee Distribution To $243.8 Million
-- TribLive Editorial: Latest Examples Of Efforts To Narrow Public Discourse Should Be Opposed
-- Natural Resources Defense Council Blog: President Wants PJM To Give The Gas Industry A Multibillion Gift To Supply Power To A.I. Data Centers In Upcoming Power Auction - By Tom Rutigliano
-- The Center Square: PA’s Energy Future A Defining Issue In Gubernatorial Race
-- The Guardian: How The Fight Over US A.I. Data Centers Is Scrambling Pennsylvania’s Politics: ‘We Don’t Want It’
-- PennLive: As PA Data Center Development Surges, PA House Fast-Tracks Bills To Address It [Not Senate]
-- The Center Square: Republican Senators Ward, Yaw Say State Losing Out Because Of Shapiro-Backed Price Caps On Electricity Prices [But Yaw Asked FERC In March To Require PJM To Keep Charging PA Ratepayers The Same Record High Rates ]
-- Institute For Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: Pennsylvania’s Shrinking Fossil Fuel Footprint Leaves A Widening Fiscal Gap To Support Tax Credits For Fossil Fuel Industry
-- Utility Dive: US EIA: Natural Gas Generation Down 60% From 2024 On Same Capacity In California As Cheaper Solar, Power Imports Surge
[Posted: June 15, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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