WILKES BARRE, Pa., May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is the text of a news
release issued earlier this week relating to PG Energy, the principal
regulated subsidiary of Pennsylvania Enterprises, Inc. (PEI) (NYSE: PNT). The
news release was issued by the PG Energy Land Use Committee, an independent
and voluntary committee of environmental and land management professionals
organized to study the use of watershed land owned by the Company.
The PG Energy Land Use Committee, organized to study the use of watershed
land owned the Company, has issued its `Land Use Management Plan For PG Energy
Lands in the Lackawanna and Wyoming Valleys.' The organization of the Land
Use Management Committee and the preparation of the Land Use Management Plan
was a part of a joint settlement agreement between the Pennsylvania Public
Utility Commission (PPUC) and PG Energy, approving the sale of the Company's
water assets to Pennsylvania-American Water Company. The scope of the plan
was to identify appropriate uses for the watershed land retained by PG Energy
and develop recommendations to preserve water quality and the maintenance of
environmental sustainability consistent with economic viability.
This extensive report which includes 23 maps was published by the
committee and PG Energy after 18 months of evaluation of the characteristics
of over 23 parcels of land totaling over 28,000 acres.
The members of the Land Use Committee were assisted by PG Energy's staff
and outside consultants in preparing the Plan. The members of the PG Energy
Land Use Management Committee are:
C. David Jr. President, Heritage Conservancy
Manuel M. Gordon District Forester, Retired
Richard Leonori Architect, Hemmler & Camayd
Paul A. O'Hop Vice President, Wilkes University
Edward Shoener Environmental Management Consultant, ECO-U.S. Inc..
Margaret E. Bakker Architect, Bakker & Lewis
Ernest Keller Director, Lackawanna County Conservation District
Bernard McGurl Executive Director, Lackawanna River Corridor
Association
Robert W. Pettinato Civil Engineer, Contractor, Former County
Commissioner
Ray Alberigi Lackawanna County Commissioner
Robert Giambetti Partner, GSGS&B Architectural Firm, Retired
Committee Chairman, Robert W. Pettinato, said, "The Plan defines the
stewardship duties of PG Energy as well as other land owners and calls for a
collective responsibility by public and private property owners to promote the
long range sustainability of watershed in Northeast Pennsylvania." The
Chairman added that PG Energy never owned or maintained all of the water shed
land surrounding reservoirs. The ownership of watershed land tributary to
reservoirs has always been a mixture of company owned land as well as lands
owned by others. The committee report suggests a theme of cooperative
stewardship among private property owners, municipalities and the general
public, along with PG Energy for all the land in the watershed.
In developing this Plan, the Committee utilized aerial video and
photography, federal, state, and local data sources, topographical maps and
on-site as well as aerial inspections. Land parcels were placed into
categories with development potential, resource management potential, or
parcels with a combination of both.
Thomas F. Karam, President and CEO of PG Energy, stated, "The Land Use
Management Committee is an assembly of environmental and land management
professionals who voluntarily joined with professionals of our Company to
craft this comprehensive plan. We believe this plan sets the stage for future
activity on our land which is consistent with environmentally responsible land
management."
The Plan has been sent to the 31 municipalities in Lackawanna, Luzerne,
Susquehanna and Wayne Counties which contain parcels of watershed land owned
by PG Energy. Anyone interested in reviewing the "Land Use Management Plan
For PG Energy Lands in the Lackawanna and Wyoming Valleys" can find a copy of
the Plan in the reference section of public libraries in Lackawanna and
Luzerne Counties.
PEI is a holding company with regulated and nonregulated subsidiaries.
The regulated group consists of PG Energy and its subsidiary, Honesdale Gas
Company, which together provide natural gas to approximately 150,000 customers
in 13 counties in northeastern and central Pennsylvania. The nonregulated
group consists of PEI Power Corporation, Theta Land Corporation and PG Energy
Services and its subsidiary, Keystone Pipeline Services, Inc.
PG Energy Services markets electricity, natural gas, propane and other
energy products in a 26-county area of central and northeastern Pennsylvania
under the name PG Energy PowerPlus. In addition to energy products, PG Energy
PowerPlus markets home and business security systems, fire detection and
environmental hazard monitoring systems and Custom Care, a service maintenance
contract for gas fired heating equipment and appliances.
PEI news releases are available 24 hours a day by fax machine or by
visiting the Company website at http://www.pnt.com. To receive a faxed copy
of our news release, call 1-800-758-5804 on a touch tone phone and use PEI's
ID No. 684209. Follow the prompted instructions to receive a copy of the
Company's most recent news release or a menu of their latest news releases.
Company news will be faxed to you immediately without charge.
SOURCE Pennsylvania Enterprises, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.pnt.com
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com or
fax, 800-758-5804, ext. 684209
CONTACT:
Albert Fereck of PEI, 717-829-8756
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