
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 15, 2005
Catamount Energy Corporation and Marubeni Power International,
Inc.
Announce Host Towns Agreement with
Jackson and McIntyre Townships
RUTLAND, VT
– Catamount
Energy Corp. (Catamount) and Marubeni Power International Inc. announced today
that their co-owned company, Laurel Hill Wind Energy, LLC, which is proposing
to develop a wind-energy farm producing 70 megawatts of clean energy, has
entered into an agreement with Jackson and McIntyre Townships that provides
for financial benefit to each of the townships. In addition to the wind project
paying its full share of municipal taxes, the project will also contribute
$2 million to the townships over the course of the project's economic life.
In the event the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania enacts legislation that would
exempt the project from paying taxes, Laurel Hill has agreed to provide up
to $2.8 million in economic benefits to the townships.
"This agreement demonstrates in very real terms the economic benefit
our proposed wind farm can bring to the project’s host communities,”
said Robert Charlebois, managing director at Catamount. “It is very
important to us that benefits flow to the local community. In addition to
jobs and clean, affordable electricity, we worked hard to ensure the townships
would receive direct economic gain well above the normal taxes the project
will pay.”
"The agreement is the end result of long discussions with the wind farm
and assures that the residents of the township that will be bearing the burden
will be the ones that will be receiving the benefits,” said Clarence
Mathews, chairman of the Jackson Township Supervisors. “There would
have to be nearly 2,000 new homes built in Jackson Township to yield as much
tax revenue at the present tax rate.”
Al Boyer, chairman of McIntyre Township Supervisors, echoed that support.
"The agreement is a good one for our community, and we look forward to
a long-term relationship with the wind farm,” he said. “We support
approval, as any unnecessary delays will cost our townships many dollars."
The project is currently seeking zoning approval from the Lycoming County
Zoning Board. The hearings have taken longer than the developers anticipated
due to local opposition led by Grey's Run and Bear Hollow Hunting Clubs.
Catamount, the non-regulated subsidiary of Central Vermont Public Service (NYSE: CV), has been in the business of providing clean, cost-competitive electricity in the U.S. and Europe for over 15 years. Catamount is a developer, owner, and operator of wind energy projects. More information on Catamount is available on the Internet at www.catenergy.com.
Marubeni Power International is a 100% subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation,
one of Japan’s largest general trading companies. Marubeni develops,
owns, and operates power projects around the world and currently owns over
2,000 net megawatts of generating capacity, including over 500 megawatts of
renewable energy generation. More information can be found at www.Marubeni.com.
CONTACT:
Marie Smith
Catamount Energy Corporation
Phone: 802-772-6747
Fax: 802-772-6799
ismith@catenergy.com
or
Mr. Robert Babcock, V.P.
Marubeni Power International, Inc.
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017-3984
Babcock-R@marubeni-usa.com
This press release
includes statements that may constitute “forward-looking” statements,
usually containing the words “believe,” “estimate,”
“project,” “expect,” or similar expressions. These
statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from the forward-looking statements. Factors that would cause or contribute
to such differences include, but are not limited to, future trends in wind
and other projects, acceptance of the Companies’ products and services
in the marketplace, competitive factors, dependence upon third-party vendors,
and other risks. By making these forward-looking statements, the Companies
undertake no obligation to update these statements for revision or changes
after the date of this release.
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