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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 10, 2023 11:04 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Mandy Steele |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Impact Fee – Reducing Methane Emissions |
| As you may know, Act 13 of 2012 provides for our state’s unconventional gas well fee, often referred to as the impact fee. Specifically, under this law, an annual fee is assessed on every natural gas producer for each well they drill in the Commonwealth. While the natural gas industry has provided an economic boost to cities and small towns across Pennsylvania, at the same time, our society as a whole has continued to grapple with the issue of climate change. As technology has improved, more energy producers and providers have voluntarily begun to explore ways to reduce their impact on the environment. For example, some well operators have explored the possibility of replacing natural gas driven pneumatic devices as a means of reducing methane emissions within the oil and natural gas industry. Replacing these devices and upgrading other equipment can help to significantly reduce methane emissions from natural gas operations. In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that would increase the unconventional gas well fee by a reasonable amount, taking into account the steps that producers have taken to reduce methane emissions from their wells and well sites through gas production activities. The additional revenue from the fee would be used to provide grants to natural gas operators for the specific purpose of upgrading existing equipment and infrastructure to provide for a cleaner industry in Pennsylvania. Please join me in sponsoring this important legislation. |
Memo Updated: March 10, 2023 11:05 AM