PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: Gov. Tom Corbett on Thursday for the first time acknowledged a possible statewide use for money from a proposed impact fee on Marcellus shale natural gas drilling.
In an exclusive interview with the Tribune-Review, Corbett said that using some of that revenue to seal abandoned wells across Pennsylvania would make sense, as long as most of the money would reimburse municipalities for damage drillers cause and other associated costs.
“We have thousands of uncapped shallow wells, and they’re an environmental hazard,” the governor said.
Senate President Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, sponsor of an impact fee bill, called Corbett’s statement on capping shallow gas wells “a major breakthrough in getting this (impact fee) done.”.. (more)
