By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG (CBS) – Pennsylvania legislative leaders are aiming to get a long-delayed natural gas drilling bill to Governor Corbett next week.

Legislative leaders and the Corbett administration failed to reach an agreement last year on legislation that would impose safety regulations and impact fees on the natural gas drilling industry in Pennsylvania.

But now Erik Arneson, spokesman for Chester Republican Dominic Pileggi, the Senate majority leader, says negotiations have heated up.

“You know, everyone is of the same mind that this has taken far too long already. There is no logical reason for it to continue to drag on. And the budget address is as good a deadline as any,” Arneson said.

Arneson refers to next Tuesday’s budget address by Governor Corbett. After next Wednesday, the Senate will not be in session until March as budget hearings are conducted. He says the goal is to get a natural gas drilling bill to the governor before that break.