Hydraulic fracturing — fracking — is a drilling technique that uses water, sand, and a small amount of chemical additives to release natural gas trapped in deep underground rock formations. It has been used in Pennsylvania for decades and is one of the most heavily regulated industrial activities in the state.

Marcellus Shale wells in Pennsylvania are typically drilled 5,000 to 8,000 feet below the surface. Drinking water aquifers sit at 50 to 500 feet. Pennsylvania DEP requires multiple layers of steel casing and cement to protect groundwater, with inspections at every stage of drilling.

Fracking fluid is approximately 99.5% water and sand. The remaining fraction contains additives like friction reducers and scale inhibitors. Pennsylvania operators are required by law to disclose every chemical used through FracFocus.org, a publicly accessible national registry.

Pennsylvania’s natural gas impact fee has generated nearly $3 billion for communities since 2012. In 2024 alone, $164.5 million was distributed — including $86.5 million directly to counties and municipalities. Funds can be used for water and sewer upgrades, road and bridge repairs, public safety equipment, and economic development. Source: PA PUC, June 2025.

Yes. Under Act 13, a portion of impact fee revenue is dedicated to emergency services. In rural townships where volunteer fire departments and EMS face funding shortfalls, this revenue is critical. Several townships in our region have used impact fee dollars specifically for fire apparatus, EMS equipment, and training.

Landowners who lease their mineral rights receive an upfront bonus payment at signing and ongoing royalties — typically 12.5% to 20% of production value — for as long as the well produces. For farm families, this can represent a meaningful income supplement and help keep land in the family across generations.

Because energy development generates significant tax revenue for local governments, it can reduce pressure on residential property owners. When municipalities receive impact fee revenue and business taxes, there is less need to raise property taxes on homeowners to cover services.

Operators must comply with PA DEP air quality permitting and monitoring requirements. Green completion techniques — required by EPA since 2015 — capture emissions at the wellhead rather than releasing them. Pennsylvania’s air quality regulations for gas development are among the most stringent in the country.

The majority of fracking water is recycled and reused in subsequent operations. Produced water that cannot be recycled must be treated and disposed of at facilities permitted and inspected by the PA DEP. Operators are prohibited from discharging untreated produced water to surface streams.

Pennsylvania law requires operators to test nearby water wells before and after drilling within 2,500 feet of a well pad. If contamination is found that was not present before drilling began, the operator is presumed responsible and must remediate. This is a meaningful legal protection for every landowner near a well site.

A setback is a minimum required distance between a well pad and homes, schools, streams, or water supplies. Setbacks are established in state law and enforced by the PA DEP. They are designed to ensure that development activity does not intrude on residential areas or environmentally sensitive areas.