Baker, Fritz: Susquehanna County to Receive Nearly $21 Million in Natural Gas Impact Fee Revenue

SUSQUEHANNA - More than $20.7 million in natural gas impact fee revenue collected in 2025 will be distributed to Susquehanna County and its municipalities, Sen. Lisa Baker (R-20) and Rep. Jonathan Fritz (R-111) announced today.

Susquehanna County will receive nearly $7.5 million, the largest county allocation in Pennsylvania, while 40 municipalities across the county will share more than $13.2 million. The funding supports a wide range of local priorities including infrastructure improvements, environmental projects, public safety initiatives and community development efforts.

"Continued energy development and the growth of the natural gas industry provide a significant economic boost for Susquehanna County," Baker said. "The impact fee is crucial to the region with these funds being used to enhance community, conservation and environmental protection projects. It is essential we have proper balance between job creation and community safety and the impact fee helps us to accomplish just that."

Pennsylvania is the nation's second-largest natural gas producer and the only state that levies an impact fee on unconventional natural gas operators. The most common unconventional natural gas oil is shale oil, a high-quality crude oil found between shale rock layers and retrieved by hydraulic fracking.

"I strongly support the natural gas industry; it has created new jobs and opportunities in our communities. Act 13 continues to pay big dividends for the residents of Susquehanna County and once again the numbers show that the county remains one of the commonwealth's top natural gas producers," Fritz said. "I'm pleased to see that natural gas drilling and subsequent impact fees are directly benefitting our local communities. This funding is another reminder of the importance of this industry in Pennsylvania."

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has distributed more than $3.12 billion in natural gas impact fees since the enactment of Act 13 in 2012. Fees are collected from drilling companies with 60% returned to counties and municipalities affected by drilling. The other 40% goes into the Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund, which supports statewide environmental initiatives, greenways and infrastructure projects.