Gas drilling impact fees that flow to Butler County and the townships, boroughs and other municipalities within its borders are dropping for the third year in a row.

The official totals for Act 13 disbursements were released Thursday by the state Public Utility Commission, with the list showing that only one municipality in Butler County — Clinton Township, which will receive $159,355 according to the PUC — will receive more money than last year.

Clinton Township will receive $832 more than in 2016, according to PUC.

Meanwhile, most other municipalities in the county will see a significant drop in Act 13 revenue when their checks arrive next month.

The biggest decrease overall will be shouldered by county officials, who will see their Act 13 allocation dip to $1.67 million from more than $1.9 million last year. It’s a reduction that officials from controller Ben Holland to county commissioners said last month they expected, as natural gas prices remain near historic lows and gas drilling activity throughout the state remains in a state of nearly-suspended animation. The county currently has 394 fee-paying wells, down from 403 last year, according to the PUC, while the number of unconventional wells statewide was up from 7,878 last year to 8,118 this year.

Read more in Sunday's Butler Eagle.