HARRISBURG — McKean County is set to receive $358,244.98 in impact fees from natural gas producers, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission announced Wednesday. In addition, the county received $34,606.99 in Marcellus Legacy Fund disbursements.
This is the ninth year that the PUC has distributed impact funds, with more than $1.9 billion distributed statewide during that span. This year, various counties and municipalities across the state received $109,180,326 in total, while the Marcellus Legacy Fund will receive $72,186,900. The Legacy Fund provides financial support for environmental, highway, water and sewer projects, rehabilitation of greenways and other projects. State agencies will receive $18,397,250.
This year’s total of roughly $200,364,500 is about $42.6 million lower than last year. According to the PUC, this is primarily due to the lowering average price of natural gas, which was $2.63 per MMBtu in 2019 compared to $3.09 per MMBtu in 2018.
In addition, the fee schedule gradually decreases in its amount over the life of a well. The full schedule can be found at: http://www.puc.state.pa.us/filing_resources/issues_laws_regulations/act_13_impact_fee_.aspx.
McKean County’s total dropped from last year’s disbursement of $460,073.26. The county has received $3,027,043.35 since the fees were implemented nine years ago.
Municipalities in the area were also on the receiving end of the impact fees.
Sergeant Township received the highest amount this year, with $177,462.91 in total funds, while Norwich Township received $169,723.52, the second highest total.
Annin Township received $11,243.46, down from the $13,048.06 it received a year ago. Bradford City, meanwhile, received the third highest total with $39,867.67. That’s down from the $46,037.70 it received last year.
Bradford Township received $35,722.31, a decrease from $42,126.83 last year. Ceres Township received $12,885.24 a year ago, but only $11,117.68 this year, while Corydon Township is down to $3,344.03 from $3,819.80.
Eldred Borough received $1,846.64 this year, down from the $2,146.42 it received last year, while Eldred Township is down to $6,614.65 from $7,599.20.
Foster Township received $25,441.83 this year compared to $29,497.77 in 2019. Hamilton Township took in $5,103.06 in impact fees this year, compared to $5,924.02 in 2019. Hamlin Township, meanwhile, is down to $13,314.26 from 2019’s total of $16,364.34.
Kane Borough collected $18,178.51 compared to 2019’s $21,122.34, while Keating Township drew in $25,347.03 versus last year’s $29,186.10.
Lafayette Township received $13,761.15, down from the $15,581.85 from last year, while Lewis Run Borough received $3,095.10, which is not far off the $3,614.13 from 2019.
Liberty Township collected $20,704.20 compared to 2019’s total of $23,992.14, while Mount Jewett Borough decreased from $5,991.67 to $5,150.15.
Otto Township’s total is down to $10,727.07 from 2019’s total of $12,446.32, while Port Allegany Borough decreased from $5,875.67 to $5,064.32.
Smethport Borough collected $4,363.56 compared to last year’s $5,006.90. Finally, Wetmore Township received $29,686.43 in 2020, down from last year’s total of $35,989.02.
