The shale gas impact fees collected from drillers by the state and meted out to counties, cities, townships and boroughs have been announced — and have increased for the first time in three years.

Butler County will receive a total of $2.1 million, including the Marcellus Legacy Fund grant of $166,406, said county controller Ben Holland. The amount makes Butler County the seventh-largest recipient of shale gas impact fees in the state, according to information provided by the state Public Utility Commission (PUC).

The county got $1.6 million last year in the program, which is officially known as Act 13.

The county will divide the money between Butler County Emergency Services, which will get 40 percent or no less than $750,000; county technology and capital improvement projects at 15 percent or no less than $250,000; the county's new infrastructure bank at 35 percent or no less than $200,000; and any remaining funds will be spent at the discretion of the commissioners, Holland said.

The amount disbursed to each county, as well as the separate amounts to municipalities, is based on the number of shale gas wells within its borders, he said.

“Our well count is up to 420 eligible wells,” Holland said “We had 394 last year, so that's a 7 percent increase.”

According to PUC data, the county is home to a total of 547 wells, making it the seventh-heaviest site of gas drilling in the commonwealth.

Holland said the disbursements, which the county began receiving in 2013, come with 13 criteria on how they can be spent.

The current county commissioners, Holland said, enacted an ordinance that allocates the money toward certain programs.

“Without that direction it can just become a pretty nice slush fund, which is a misuse of the dollars,” Holland said.

He said the impact fees are meant for one-time expenditures and not plugging holes in a budget or as an additional, regular revenue stream.

“That's not what it's intended for,” Holland said.

He hopes the local municipalities that receive the money spend it on road and bridge projects and do not drop it in the general fund, but said the county has no control over that.

“It is incumbent upon the local municipalities and the county to use this money judiciously,” Holland said.

Here are the Act 13 impact fee distribution amounts that municipalities in Butler County will receive in July from the state. Butler County is receiving $2.1 million, according to the state Public Utility Commission.Adams Township — $118,304.93Allegheny Township — $69,920.46Brady Township — $13,988.19Bruin — $3,670.73Buffalo Township — $95,671.47Butler — $78,527.17Butler Township — $189,697.30Callery — $2,797.75Center Township — $142,524.88Cherry Township — 24,032.63Cherry Valley — $1,416.71Chicora — $6,226.98Clay Township — $49,832.65Clearfield Township — $68,285.53Clinton Township — $186,305.19Concord Township — $137,781.72Connoquenessing — $17,744.39Connoquenessing Township — $182,400.59Cranberry Township — $185,174.95Donegal Township — $83,770.70East Butler — $5,902.81Eau Claire — $2,415.60Evans City — $10,160.18Fairview — $1,276.82Fairview Township — $26,382.13Forward Township — $185.544.77Franklin Township — $46,920.55Harmony — $6,418.14Harrisville — $2,797.47Jackson Township — $205,289.89Jefferson Township — $138,067.73Karns City — $1,155.54Lancaster Township — $157,616.53Marion Township — $24,453.85Mars — $10,240.16Mercer Township — $5,017.68Middlesex Township — $95,843.48Muddy Creek Township — $69,824.68Oakland Township — $195,223.67Parker Township — $12,911.20Penn Township — $158,214.85Petrolia — $1,822.36Portersville — $1,989.96Prospect — $7,359.27Saxonburg — $8,160.87Seven Fields — $16,401.95Slippery Rock — $9,330.20Slippery Rock Township — $40,441.36Summit Township — $90,625.03Valencia — $4,438.49Venango Township — $16,379.95Washington Township — $68,269.26West Liberty — $2,587.05West Sunbury — $1,055.57Winfield Township — $132,639.94Worth Township — $20,406.04Zelienople — $22,771.67