The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has leased some state game and forest lands for natural gas development. While each lease is unique, the state has negotiated an 18 percent royalty rate for a few tracts of land in central Pennsylvania. The state minimum is 12.5 percent.

Additionally, through Act 13, the commonwealth receives an impact fee on each Marcellus shale well which is then distributed to local municipalities, counties and state agencies. More details on the impact fee distribution and rates are available on the Pa. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s website. In the past two years alone, more than $400 million in impact fee dollars have been paid by shale producers. Additionally, shale production over the past several years has generated more than $1.8 billion in various tax revenues.