The state’s impact fee on Marcellus shale drillers has brought in more than 204 million dollars in its first year. The money has been divided up and checks will head out soon.

Nearly 15 hundred municipalities and 35 counties are sharing more than 100 million dollars from the impact fee. Those checks range from a low of $1.44that will be going to a borough in Allegheny County, to $500,000 each for 26 municipalities with more drilling activity. The impact fee law restricts how the money can be spent.

Another 72 million will be shared among all 67 counties through the Marcellus Legacy Fund.  Just over 25 million will help pay for oversight of the industry.  

Governor Tom Corbett says Act 13, in addition to imposing the impact fee, also enacted a new range of environmental and safety standards.  He says the fee will help cover the enforcement of those standards.

He says when the state was confronted with the challenges and opportunities of this emerging industry, the goal was to get things right.  He believes the total of $204 million dollars is a clear sign that they did.