MANSFIELD, La. (AP) - Chesapeake Energy Corp. is paying more than $9 million in property taxes this year to parishes where the Haynesville Shale natural gas exploration and development is taking place.
Of that, $7.3 million is going to DeSoto Parish taxing agencies. The parish is in the heart of the shale play.
The Times reports (http://bit.ly/vxN17Y ) the payments are for property, real estate and personal property taxes paid by Chesapeake, the parent company, and its related operations, including Chesapeake Midstream and drilling subsidiary Nomac Drilling LLC.
Chesapeake's check to DeSoto tax collectors is the largest cumulative payment in the parish. Of the top 10 taxpayers, oil and gas companies fill eight spots.