Both sides face off on natural-gas severance tax

The forces squabbling over a proposed natural-gas severance tax in Pennsylvania are ramping up their hearts-and-minds campaigns. The Marcellus Shale Coalition on Tuesday released an industry-commissioned study that projects natural-gas drilling could generate more than $8 billion in economic benefits this year and add more than 88,000 jobs in the state - double the numbers it says were created last year.