Pocono News Section

Finance Committee Supports Severance Tax

Finance Committee Supports Severance Tax - Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 04:11AM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Wednesday May 12 2010
Members of Pennsylvania's House Finance Committee met to discuss Marcellus Shale issues in Williamsport Wednesday.

Specifically, committee members outlined their proposal for a natural gas severance tax.

Legislators at the meeting say the tax would help offset the impact of gas drilling on the local environment, infrastructure, and social services.

State Rep. Rick Mirabito (D)-83rd, explained, "What we're saying is that, here in Pennsylvania, we need to make sure that the local taxpayers are not left with the burden of taking care of the impact from that severance of natural gas."

Mirabito says severance taxes are common in the other states where natural gas drilling has occurred.