Speaking as a Southwest PA man — our new governor will not put a tax on that gas. So, unfortunately, “taxes pour into the local base” isn’t really true.
My question is — who owns that gas? The people who own the land the gas in on or the people who drill wells miles away and steal it?
All I know is that I’m not making any money from it.
Why does the DOE even have control over export of gas? Gas exporters certainly aren’t “stealing it” and its the owner’s right to sell it where he chooses.
Why not just have the Gov’t nationalize it all, and then dole out gas to whoever is most politically connected or pays the highest bribes? That’s the other alternative, and basically how it works elsewhere in the world.
If drilling is under their property and they have the mineral rights, the right to drill under the property has to be leased from the owner of the Mineral Rights.
It isn't stolen.
There are setbacks, etc, from lease lines, so that even after fracking the well (so the gas will come out of the rock), the gas produced is from under the lease where the well is drilled.
Mineral owners get a royalty on production sales, anywhere from 1/8 to 1/5 of the money.
If you know of someone stealing someone else's natural gas, report them. It's a crime.
Just call it a fee instead of a tax and he will sign it.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9NR6PI80.htm
Republican Gov. Tom Corbett is also ruling out tax hikes but has said he would consider a fee.