58 PA Cons Stat § 2314 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 58 - OIL AND GAS|Chapter 23 - Unconventional Gas Well Fee|Section 2314 - Distribution of fee

§ 2314. Distribution of fee. (a) Establishment.--There is established a fund in the State Treasury to be known as the Unconventional Gas Well Fund to be administered by the commission.  (b) Deposit.--All fees imposed and collected under this chapter shall be deposited into the fund and are hereby appropriated for the purpose set forth in this section.  (c) Conservation districts.-- (1) From fees collected for 2011, $2,500,000 from the fund shall be distributed to county conservation districts.  (2) From fees collected for 2012, $5,000,000 from the fund shall be distributed to county conservation districts.  (3) From fees collected for 2013, and each year thereafter, $7,500,000 from the fund shall be distributed to county conservation districts.  (4) Beginning July 1, 2014, each July 1 thereafter, the amount distributed under paragraph (3) shall be increased by any percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the most recent 12-month period for which figures have been officially reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics immediately prior to July 1.  (5) Funds under paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) shall be distributed in accordance with the following:  (i) One-half shall be distributed by dividing the amount equally among conservation districts for any use consistent with the act of May 15, 1945 (P.L.547, No.217), known as the Conservation District Law.  (ii) One-half shall be distributed by the State Conservation Commission in a manner consistent with the Conservation District Law and the provisions of the State Conservation Commission's Conservation District Fund Allocation Program-Statement of Policy under 25 Pa. Code Ch. 83 Subch. B (relating to Conservation District Fund Allocation Program-Statement of Policy).  (c.1) Additional distributions.--From fees collected under this chapter and deposited in the fund for 2011 and each year thereafter:  (1) One million dollars shall be distributed to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for costs relating to the review of applications for permits to drill unconventional gas wells.  (2) One million dollars shall be distributed to the commission for costs to administer this chapter and Chapter 33 (relating to local ordinances relating to oil and gas operations).  (3) Six million dollars to the department for the administration of this act and the enforcement of acts relating to clean air and clean water.  (4) Seven hundred fifty thousand dollars to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency for emergency response planning, training and coordination related to natural gas production from unconventional gas wells.  (5) Seven hundred fifty thousand dollars to the Office of State Fire Commissioner for the development, delivery and sustainment of training and grant programs for first responders and the acquisition of specialized equipment for response to emergencies relating to natural gas production from unconventional gas wells.  (6) One million dollars to the Department of Transportation for rail freight assistance. (c.2) Natural gas energy development.--Following distributions from the fund under subsections (c) and (c.1), the following amounts shall be deposited into the Marcellus Legacy Fund for distribution to the department for the Natural Gas Energy Development Program under Chapter 27 (relating to Natural Gas Energy Development Program):  (1) For 2011, $10,000,000. (2) For 2012, $7,500,000. (3) For 2013, $2,500,000. (c.3) Report.--All agencies or organizations receiving funds under subsections (c), (c.1) and (c.2) shall submit a report by December 31, 2012, and December 31 of each year thereafter to the Secretary of the Budget and the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives. The report shall include an itemization and explanation of the use of all funds received under subsections (c), (c.1) and (c.2).  (d) Distribution.--Except as provided in section 2302(a.3) and (a.4) (relating to unconventional gas well fee), following fee distribution under subsections (c), (c.1) and (c.2), from fees collected for 2011 and each year thereafter, 60% of the revenue remaining in the fund from fees collected for the prior year are hereby appropriated to counties and municipalities for purposes authorized under subsection (g). Counties and municipalities are encouraged, where appropriate, to jointly fund projects that cross jurisdictional lines. The commission, after making a disbursement under subsection (f), shall distribute the remaining funds appropriated as follows within three months after the date the fee is due:  (1) Except as provided in section 2302(a.3), 36% shall be distributed to counties in which spud unconventional gas wells are located. The amount for each county to which funds will be distributed shall be determined using a formula that divides the number of spud unconventional gas wells in the county by the number of spud unconventional gas wells in this Commonwealth and multiplies the resulting percentage by the amount available for distribution under this paragraph.  (2) Except as provided in section 2302(a.4), 37% shall be distributed to municipalities in which spud unconventional gas wells are located. The amount for each municipality to which funds will be distributed shall be determined using a formula that divides the number of spud unconventional gas wells in the municipality by the number of spud unconventional gas wells in this Commonwealth and multiplies the resulting percentage by the amount available for distribution under this paragraph.  (3) Except as provided in section 2302(a.4), 27% shall be distributed to municipalities located in a county in which spud unconventional gas wells are located. The amount available for distribution in each county shall be determined by dividing the number of spud unconventional gas wells in the county by the number of spud unconventional gas wells in this Commonwealth and multiplying the resulting percentage by the amount available for distribution under this paragraph. The resulting amount available for distribution in each county in which spud unconventional gas wells are located shall be distributed to each municipality in the county to which funds will be distributed as follows:  (i) Except as provided in section 2302(a.4), 50% of the amount available under this paragraph shall be distributed to municipalities in which spud unconventional gas wells are located and to municipalities that are either contiguous with a municipality in which spud unconventional gas wells are located or are located within five linear miles of a spud unconventional gas well. The distribution shall be made as follows:  (A) One-half shall be distributed to each municipality using a formula that divides the population of the eligible municipality within the county by the total population of all eligible municipalities within the county and multiplies the resulting percentage by the amount allocated to the county under this subparagraph.  (B) One-half shall be distributed to each municipality using a formula that divides the highway mileage of the eligible municipality within the county by the total highway mileage of all eligible municipalities within the county and multiplies the resulting percentage by the amount allocated to the county under this subparagraph.  (ii) Except as provided in section 2302(a.4), 50% of the amount available under this paragraph shall be distributed to each municipality in the county regardless of whether an unconventional gas well is located in the municipality as follows:  (A) One-half shall be distributed to each municipality using a formula that divides the population of the municipality within the county by the total population of the county and multiplies the resulting percentage by the amount allocated to the county under this subparagraph.  (B) One-half shall be distributed to each municipality using a formula that divides the highway mileage of the municipality within the county by the total highway mileage of the county and multiplies the resulting percentage by the amount allocated to the county under this subparagraph.  (e) Restriction.--The amount allocated to each municipality under subsection (d) shall not exceed the greater of $500,000 or 50% of the total budget for the prior fiscal year beginning with the 2010 budget year and continuing every year thereafter, adjusted to reflect any upward changes in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland area in the preceding 12 months. Any remaining money shall be retained by the commission and deposited in the Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund for the uses specified under subsection (f).  (f) Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund.-- (1) From fees collected for 2011, $2,500,000 from the fund shall be distributed to the Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund under the act of November 23, 2010 (P.L.1035, No.105), entitled "An act amending the act of December 3, 1959 (P.L.1688, No.621), entitled, as amended, 'An act to promote the health, safety and welfare of the people of the Commonwealth by broadening the market for housing for persons and families of low and moderate income and alleviating shortages thereof, and by assisting in the provision of housing for elderly persons through the creation of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency as a public corporation and government instrumentality; providing for the organization, membership and administration of the agency, prescribing its general powers and duties and the manner in which its funds are kept and audited, empowering the agency to make housing loans to qualified mortgagors upon the security of insured and uninsured mortgages, defining qualified mortgagors and providing for priorities among tenants in certain instances, prescribing interest rates and other terms of housing loans, permitting the agency to acquire real or personal property, permitting the agency to make agreements with financial institutions and Federal agencies, providing for the purchase by persons of low and moderate income of housing units, and approving the sale of housing units, permitting the agency to sell housing loans, providing for the promulgation of regulations and forms by the agency, prescribing penalties for furnishing false information, empowering the agency to borrow money upon its own credit by the issuance and sale of bonds and notes and by giving security therefor, permitting the refunding, redemption and purchase of such obligations by the agency, prescribing remedies of holders of such bonds and notes, exempting bonds and notes of the agency, the income therefrom, and the income and revenues of the agency from taxation, except transfer, death and gift taxes; making such bonds and notes legal investments for certain purposes; and indicating how the act shall become effective,' providing for the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Program; and establishing the Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund." From fees collected for 2012, and each year thereafter, $5,000,000 shall be annually distributed to the Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund.  (2) Funds under paragraph (1) shall be used for the following purposes: (i) To provide support to projects in a county in which producing unconventional gas wells are located that increase availability of quality, safe, affordable housing for low-income and moderate-income individuals or families, persons with disabilities or elderly persons.  (ii) To provide rental assistance in a county in which producing unconventional gas wells are located to persons or families whose household income does not exceed the area median income.  (3) No less than 50% of the funds available under this subsection shall be used in fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class counties.  (g) Use of funds.--A county or municipality receiving funds under subsection (d) shall use the funds received only for the following purposes associated with natural gas production from unconventional gas wells within the county or municipality:  (1) Construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roadways, bridges and public infrastructure.  (2) Water, storm water and sewer systems, including construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair.  (3) Emergency preparedness and public safety, including law enforcement and fire services, hazardous material response, 911, equipment acquisition and other services.  (4) Environmental programs, including trails, parks and recreation, open space, flood plain management, conservation districts and agricultural preservation.  (5) Preservation and reclamation of surface and subsurface waters and water supplies. (6) Tax reductions, including homestead exclusions. (7) Projects to increase the availability of safe and affordable housing to residents. (8) Records management, geographic information systems and information technology. (9) The delivery of social services. (10) Judicial services. (11) For deposit into the county or municipality's capital reserve fund if the funds are used solely for a purpose set forth in this subsection.  (12) Career and technical centers for training of workers in the oil and gas industry. (13) Local or regional planning initiatives under the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.  (h) Reporting.-- (1) The commission shall submit an annual report on all funds in the fund. The report shall include a detailed listing of all deposits and expenditures of the fund and be submitted to the chairman and the minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate, the chairman and the minority chairman of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee of the Senate, the chairman and the minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives and the chairman and the minority chairman of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee of the House of Representatives. The report shall be submitted by December 30, 2012, and by September 30 of each year thereafter.  (2) All counties and municipalities receiving funds from the fund under this section shall submit information to the commission on a form prepared by the commission that sets forth the amount and use of the funds received in the prior calendar year. The form shall set forth that the funds received were committed to a specific project or use as authorized in this section. The reports shall be published annually on the county or municipality's publicly accessible Internet website.  (i) Availability of funds.--Distribution of funds under this section and section 2315 (relating to Statewide initiatives) are contingent on availability of funds in the fund. If sufficient funds are not available, the commission shall disburse funds on a pro rata basis.    References in Text. Chapter 27, referred to in subsec. (c.2), expired December 31, 2016. Cross References. Section 2314 is referred to in sections 2302, 2303, 2315, 2702 of this title.