Corbett proposes incentives to bolster Pa.’s natural gas industry

Gov. Tom Corbett says Pennsylvania’s natural gas infrastructure needs a boost if the demand for the fuel is going to grow.

To that end, the governor has proposed the state offer incentives to drilling companies that invest in natural gas-refueling stations and mass transit systems that run on natural gas.

Patrick Henderson, the governor’s energy executive, said that in places such as Pittsburgh, Williamsport and Towanda, drilling companies are already working with local transportation projects to develop a demand for natural gas.

“We’re seeing an awful lot of examples out there where producers are partnering with local communities on mass transit,” Henderson said. “What we did not want to do is set up a disincentive for those investments to continue as we try and build markets.”

Corbett’s proposed incentive could help drilling companies save up to 30 percent on local impact fee payments.

The governor included the incentive program in his Marcellus Shale policy plan, which also consists of an impact fee levied and collected by individual counties, and environmental regulations on drilling.