LIPA, KeySpan and Assemblyman Englebright Dedicate the New Stephen D. Matthews Nature Preserve

Woodland buffer between Port Jefferson Power Plant and Village of Poquott Permanently Protected

Setauket, NY—April 20, 2006—The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), KeySpan and Assemblyman Steven Englebright today announced the dedication of a ten acre parcel of land that will provide a forever-wild nature preserve between the Village of Poquott and KeySpan’s Port Jefferson power plant.

As a result of a conservation easement facilitated by KeySpan, the parcel of land will remain undeveloped and be utilized as a nature preserve/walking trail. The newly created nature preserve will be dedicated in the name of the late Deputy Mayor of the Village of Poquott, Mr. Stephen D. Matthews who led the effort to create the preserve. After Mr. Matthew’s passing a coordinated effort was undertaken by Assemblyman Steven Englebright, Village officials, LIPA and KeySpan to make the preserve a reality.

“April 20th would have been my husband Steve Matthews 70th Birthday,” said Mrs. Katherine Matthews. “He loved the natural environment and worked to preserve it as the Environmental Commissioner for the Village of Poquott. For nine years he loved living in Poquott as a Village Trustee and then Deputy Mayor. He was actively involved in the negotiations with LIPA and KeySpan. This agreement would have given him great joy.”

“Stephen D. Matthews was Poquott Village’s environmental protection champion and it is entirely appropriate to gather today to dedicate this preserve on what would have been Steve’s seventieth birthday as a living memorial to his vision and dedication to the citizens of Poquott Village,” said Assemblyman Englebright.

“LIPA is very pleased with the creation of the Stephen D. Matthews Preserve,” said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel. “This unique setting will serve as a place of refuge and will provide years of enjoyment for local residents. I commend Assemblyman Steven Englebright, KeySpan and the late Stephen D. Matthews for their vision and hard work to preserve an important piece of Long Island’s natural history and enhance the quality of life in the Port Jefferson/Poquott community.”

"KeySpan is proud that this bucolic parcel of land – all ten acres of it -- will remain forever green," said Robert B. Catell, Chairman and CEO of KeySpan, the owner of the Port Jefferson Power Plant property, which signed the easement making the dedication possible. "We’re also extremely pleased that the land will be named in honor of the late, beloved Steven Matthews. As Deputy Mayor and long-term resident of Poquott, Steven Matthews had a strong commitment to the community and environment around him. This area will stand not only as a space for local families to enjoy, but as a living testament to Steven Matthews’ dreams and ideals, as well as an example of a terrific, and ongoing collaboration between KeySpan, LIPA and the Village of Poquott to truly do the right thing for the communities we serve."

The Stephen D. Matthews Preserve will feature low-intensity public access, and afford visitors a look back on a landscape of Long Island’s ecological history.

A member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, KeySpan Corporation (NYSE:KSE) is the largest distributor of natural gas in the Northeast, operating regulated gas utilities in New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire that serve 2.6 million customers.  These customer-focused businesses are complemented by a portfolio of service companies that offer energy-related products, services, and solutions to homes and businesses.  KeySpan is also the largest electric generator in New York State, with approximately 6,600 megawatts of generating capacity that provides power to 1.1 million customers of the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) on Long Island and supplies approximately 25 percent of New York City’s capacity needs.  KeySpan also operates LIPA’s transmission and distribution system under contract to LIPA.  In addition to these assets, KeySpan has strategic investments in pipeline transportation, distribution, storage, and production.  KeySpan has headquarters in Brooklyn, New England, and Long Island.  For more information, visit KeySpan’s web site at www.keyspanenergy.com.