Severance tax on natural gas would offset cost of 35 new regulatory jobs
Posted by CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE at 9:13 AMNew York is budgeting for 35 new positions in the next fiscal year to help oversee production of the Marcellus Shale, if and when it gets there.
While political and regulatory uncertainty clouds the fate of Marcellus production north of Pennsylvania, the staffing proposals are a sign that Gov. David Paterson's office is preparing.
"If drilling moves forward, we have the infrastructure in place to do it in a safe and responsible way," said Morgan Hook, a spokesman for the governor.
The staffing initiative would add 29 workers to the Department of Environmental Conservation, four to the Department of Health, and two to the Public Service Commission. The $3 million annual payroll would be offset by a severance tax on gas extracted from the ground.
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