ATO Atmos Energy Corp

Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) today urged its 3.2 million customers and lawmakers in the 12 states where it operates to support the Washington Action Day for LIHEAP. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides federal funds to low-income people, helping them pay energy expenses. LIHEAP Action Day is February 1, 2007, when supporters of LIHEAP plan to meet with lawmakers in Washington. Last year, supporters met with more than 150 members of Congress on Action Day and subsequent appropriations for LIHEAP were increased to more than $3 billion. Congressional budget plans for 2007 would reduce LIHEAP funding by approximately $1 billion, or one-third. Supporters of LIHEAP fear about 600,000 people who received help last year would not receive assistance this year with their winter energy bills. Atmos Energy, employees and customers contributed nearly $1 million last year to the company�s �Sharing the Warmth� program, which distributes funds to local agencies where the money is combined with LIHEAP funds. In Texas last year, $58 million in LIHEAP funding helped low-income residents with their energy needs. �Atmos Energy hopes to raise more money this year through our new �Round-Up� program, in which customers round up their monthly bill amount to the next dollar and the extra money goes to the Sharing the Warmth program,� said Junior Aston, Atmos Energy governmental and public affairs vice president. �Contributions to Sharing the Warmth remain in the area, so customers are helping people in their community.� The sponsor of Action Day, the National Fuel Funds Network, also encouraged people to contact President Bush and their members of Congress expressing support for additional LIHEAP funding. �Our customers are so caring, especially in Texas,� said Dick Erskine, Atmos Energy Mid-Tex Division president. �Everyday more people are joining Round-Up or contributing a larger amount by checking the box on the back of their natural gas bill or signing up at www.AtmosEnergy.com.� Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is the country�s largest natural gas-only distributor, serving about 3.2 million gas utility customers. Atmos Energy�s utility operations serve more than 1,500 communities in 12 states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy's nonutility operations, organized under Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc., operate in 22 states. They provide natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers and manage company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas. Atmos Energy is a Fortune 500 company. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.