Dueling Impact Fee Debates

Pennsylvania lawmakers have been mulling whether or not to impose a tax or fee on natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale for nearly three years, but a bill has never become law. In fact, a severance tax made it to the House floor just twice during the 2009-2010 session (it passed, in two different forms), and never advanced past a Senate committee.
After so much waiting, it’s been a little disorienting to see  the House and Senate hold simultaneous debate on two different impact fees this evening. Here’s a taste of what reporters are dealing with in the Capitol newsroom. (The House is in the foreground; the Senate in the background.)

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