ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NYSEG and RG&E have been named Tree Line USA utilities by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The Tree Line USA program, sponsored in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, recognizes utilities that have a program of quality tree care, annual worker training in quality tree care practices, and a tree planting and public education program. "We certainly recognize how important trees are aesthetically and to the quality of the air we breathe," said Jim Laurito, president and chief executive officer of NYSEG and RG&E. "We also know that trees are a leading cause of power interruptions. Our job is to use proven tree care practices to strike a balance between trees and our obligation to provide safe, reliable service to our customers." "Across America, people are recognizing and celebrating how vital trees are to our cities and towns," said John Rosenow, president of The National Arbor Day Foundation. "Tree Line USA utilities deserve recognition for their commitment to providing safe, efficient service, while helping protect and preserve community trees." Rosenow said one of the major contributions of the Tree Line USA program is implementing natural pruning in place of the outdated power line clearance practice of "topping" trees. Natural pruning trains trees to grow around wires and retain more of their natural form. This results in healthier trees and reduced clearance costs for utility companies, since natural pruning has to be done less frequently than topping. NYSEG and RG&E were formally recognized during the National Arbor Day Foundation's 13th annual Trees and Utilities National Conference in Chicago last week. The conference, cosponsored by the Utility Arborist Association, brings together utility professionals, foresters, arborists, and concerned citizens from across the nation to work toward the goal of dependable utility service and healthy, beautiful community trees. The National Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit education organization, is dedicated to tree planting and environmental stewardship. About NYSEG and RG&E: NYSEG and RG&E are subsidiaries of Energy East Corporation [NYSE: EAS], a super-regional energy services and delivery company in the Northeast. NYSEG serves 860,000 electricity customers and 254,000 natural gas customers across more than 40% of upstate New York. RG&E serves 359,000 electricity customers and 296,000 natural gas customers in a nine- county region centered on the City of Rochester. By providing outstanding customer service, promoting competition and focusing on growth, NYSEG and RG&E will continue to be valuable assets to their communities. For more information about NYSEG, visit nyseg.com. For more information about RG&E, visit rge.com. DATASOURCE: NYSEG; RG&E CONTACT: Clayton Ellis of NYSEG, +1-607-762-7336, or Dick Marion of RG&E, +1-585-771-2230; The National Arbor Day Foundation, +1-402-474-5655 Web site: http://www.nyseg.com/ http://rge.com/

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