Roughly 150 protesters were at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg on Tuesday for a rally urging lawmakers to pass legislation that would make it difficult for oil and gas companies to deduct post-production costs from royalty checks. Lawmakers have tried but failed for years to pass legislation to clarify the state’s Guaranteed Minimum Royalty Act of 1979, which sets forth the minimum payment to landowners but doesn’t address marketing costs and how they should be factored into royalties. Bradford County, PA, has launched a campaign to pressure lawmakers into passing state HB 1391, which may be considered in October (see Shale Daily, Sept. 9). The industry has fought against the legislation, claiming contractual disputes should be settled in court.