Butler County will receive less money from natural gas drilling this year than years prior.
According to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, the county will receive nearly $1.5 million in gas drilling impact fees that were collected from the 2020 year. In 2018, the county received $2.1 million.
Butler is the seventh highest receiving county in the state for the 2020 year. There are 627 wells in Butler County, according to PUC data.
Statewide, just over $146 million was generated last year, which is decrease of about $53 million compared to the amount received last year from 2019 drilling.
Each township, borough and municipality receives their own allotment but there are restrictions on how municipalities use the money. It’s meant to be spent on infrastructure projects and to assist with human service and emergency response needs. Checks are expected to be issued in early July.
PUC officials pointed to a decline in the price of natural gas last year as well as the fewest new wells drilled last year since Act 13 started as reasons for the decrease in revenue.