WYOMISSING, Pa., Sept. 3, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PennEast Pipeline Company LLC (PennEast) announced today awards of $50,000 through its Community Connector Grant Program, bringing the program's investment in Pennsylvania and New Jersey communities to $240,000 to date.
Projects benefitting from the Community Connector Program include: a rain garden for sedimentation control; funding for environmental educational programs; and hydraulic rescue equipment, to name a few. The following area not-for-profit organizations have been selected to receive the grants:
- Carbon County Environmental Center
- Dimmick Memorial Library (Jim Thorpe, PA)
- Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company (Lehighton, Pa.)
- Lehigh Township Emergency Management
- Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Company #1
- Lehighton Shade Tree Commission
- Penn Kidder Library Center
- Quakertown Volunteer EMS (Pittstown, NJ)
- Shavertown Volunteer Fire Department
- Wildlife Information Center (Slatington, PA)
"PennEast is committed to being a good neighbor, putting safety, environmental conservation and the livelihood of local communities at the forefront of our project," said Alisa Harris, who oversees government and community affairs for PennEast. "Despite PennEast still being in the early, voluntary pre-filing phase of the Project, we're proud to have contributed $240,000 to organizations making a difference in their communities. We look forward to continuing the PennEast Community Connector Grant Program and encourage others along PennEast's proposed route to apply."
Grants of $5,000 are awarded to not-for-profit organizations on the basis of need, fulfillment of program guidelines and proximity to the proposed PennEast Pipeline in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The Community Connector Grant Program is designed to:
- Support first responders and emergency management;
- Improve community safety;
- Conserve important local habitat;
- Enhance open space, recreational areas and wildlife habitat;
- Preserve community culture and heritage; and
- Support environmental and/or energy education programs.
PennEast expects to announce the next round of grant recipients in 2016.
For additional information on the Community Connector Grant Program and eligibility requirements, visit http://penneastpipeline.com/community-investment/.
The PennEast Pipeline is an approximately 118-mile, 36-inch natural gas pipeline that would deliver approximately 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. This underground pipeline would originate in Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania and end at Transco's pipeline interconnection in Mercer County, New Jersey. AGL Resources; NJR Pipeline Company; PSEG Power LLC; South Jersey Industries; Spectra Energy Partners and UGI Energy Services form the PennEast Pipeline Company. UGI Energy Services serves as the project manager and would be the operator of the pipeline.
About PennEast Member Companies:
AGL Resources www.aglresources.com
AGL Resources (GAS) is an Atlanta-based energy services holding company with operations in natural gas distribution, retail operations, wholesale services and midstream operations. AGL Resources serves approximately 4.5 million utility customers through its regulated distribution subsidiaries in seven states. The company also serves approximately 630,000 retail energy customers and approximately 1.2 million customer service contracts through its SouthStar Energy Services joint venture and Pivotal Home Solutions, which market natural gas and related home services. Other non-utility businesses include asset management for natural gas wholesale customers through Sequent Energy Management and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. AGL Resources is a member of the S&P 500 Index.
NJR Pipeline Company www.njresources.com
NJR Pipeline Company is a subsidiary of New Jersey Resources (NJR), a Fortune 1000 company that provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution and asset management. NJR Pipeline is part of NJR's strong financial profile and ongoing commitment to invest in and own midstream assets, including natural gas storage and transportation pipelines. NJR's midstream assets are currently comprised of a 5.53 percent stake in Iroquois Pipeline and a 50 percent stake in Steckman Ridge, a 12 Bcf storage field in south central Pennsylvania, and now equity ownership in the PennEast Pipeline.
Public Service Enterprise Group www.pseg.com
Public Service Enterprise Group (PEG) is a publicly traded diversified energy company with annual revenues of $10 billion. Its operating subsidiaries are: PSEG Power, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) and PSEG Long Island.
South Jersey Industries www.sjindustries.com
South Jersey Industries (SJI), an energy services holding company based in Folsom, NJ, operates its business through two primary subsidiaries. South Jersey Gas, one of the nation's fastest growing natural gas utilities, delivers clean, efficient natural gas and promotes energy efficiency to over 365,000 customers in southern New Jersey. SJI's non-regulated businesses, under South Jersey Energy Solutions, promote efficiency, clean technology and renewable energy by developing, owning and operating on-site energy production facilities - including Combined Heat and Power, Solar, and District Heating and Cooling projects; acquiring and marketing natural gas and electricity for retail customers; providing wholesale commodity marketing and risk management services; and offering HVAC and other energy-efficiency related services.
Spectra Energy Partners www.spectraenergypartners.com
Spectra Energy Partners, LP (SEP) is a Houston-based master limited partnership, formed by Spectra Energy Corp (SE). SEP is one of the largest pipeline MLPs in the United States and connects growing supply areas to high-demand markets for natural gas, natural gas liquids, and crude oil. These assets include more than 17,000 miles of transmission and gathering pipelines, approximately 150 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage, and approximately 4.8 million barrels of crude oil storage.
UGI Energy Services, LLC www.ugies.com
UGI Energy Services is a subsidiary of UGI Corporation (UGI). UGI Energy Services markets natural gas, electricity and liquid fuels to approximately 19,000 residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and government customers in nine states and Washington, D.C. In addition, it stores and delivers natural gas and generates electricity.