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With more than 200 gas industry lobbyists registered in Harrisburg, State Rep. Greg Vitali says the industry has spent $3.7 million on lobbying the Capitol this year alone.Using campaign finance reports, lobbying disclosure reports, lobbying registration statements and lawmakers' statements of financial interests, Vitali has regularly tracked industry spending.He says in order to pass a severance tax, House members would have to agree to changes in the way the Department of Environmental Protection regulates the industry."This is all because of the huge clout of the natural gas industry and the contributions they give to the legislature and the money they spent lobbying the legislature," he said.The current severance tax deal includes speeding up natural gas permit reviews and curbing the state's efforts to reduce methane emissions. Vitali says the changes to DEP's permitting rules would hurt its ability to regulate."They are so influential in this building t