$30 million in impact fee money went unreported and unaccounted for
Friday, December 25, 2015
Due to how cash was used, almost $30 million from Marcellus Shale impact fees given to communities in Pennsylvania is unaccounted for, according to Observer-Reporter. The cash was unreported to the Public Utility Commission.
In February 2012, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett signed the Act 13 (the impact fee) into law, but the legislation didn’t require routine state audits of the money to track how it’s spent.
The $30 million makes up 14.5 percent given to communities directly impacted by drilling between 2011 and 2013. Since the impact fee was introduced, $856 million has been given to Marcellus towns, counties and other funds.
Via: Observer-Reporter > Nearly $30 million in Act 13 money unaccounted for
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.