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Legislation sponsored by state Sen. E. Eugene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township, to help better define preferential assessment of properties under the Clean and Green Act could go up for consideration soon.

Yaw, the bill's prime sponsor, said the legislation is important for the region as it undertakes drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale.

The bill would limit rollback taxes in Clean and Green parcels to areas where gas or oil wells or supporting facilities are constructed.

Under present provisions of Clean and Green, rollback tax penalties are disproportionately imposed on entire portions of a property, even if very little of the land is physically impacted by a gas well.

"Overall, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is very pleased with provisions of the bill," said spokesman Mark O'Neill. "It includes a number of things we have been working for."

Yaw said for too long there has existed an inconsistent interpretation as to what section of Clean and Green tracts were subject to rollback taxes, despite the activity occurring there.

O'Neill agreed.

"This will also define when rollback taxes will be assessed. Before, it was left up to counties," he said.

At least two bills in the House with similar provisions also are up for consideration.

O'Neill said the bill also addresses rollback taxes with respect to wind and solar energy projects.

Yaw said while his Senate bill is not perfect, he is comfortable with it.

"I'm OK the way it reads right now," he said.

He said the bill benefits both landowners and farmers.

The Senate Agricultural Committee recently approved the bill.

Yaw said it could move for a full vote before too long, despite haggling over the state budget.

"It's actually on the schedule for bills that are pending. In the meantime, I don't think we can just halt everything else to wait for that (budget)."