The goal of our research is to make data about shale gas development widely available to the academic community and to others who are interested in the impact of its development. Our current data sets explore the financial impact of shale gas development in Pennsylvania.
Shale Development and Municipal Finances
Pennsylvania has experienced widespread drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus and Utica shale formations. It is the second largest producer of natural gas in the country. Although drilling can create jobs, it also brings public costs, especially for jurisdictions where drilling occurs. As a result, the expenditures of local governments near shale formations have increased as drilling has risen.
This dataset combines data from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on distributions of Pennsylvania’s Impact Fee to local governments, as well as data from the Department of Community and Economic Development. It provides municipal-level data for the years 2006 to 2015 and includes information on the number of wells drilled, Impact Fee revenue received, and key municipal financial variables.