2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:   Nick Infante, Media Relations, phone 908 879 997

Brooklyn Beer Distributor Rolls out Clean Fleet Powered by Natural Gas

December 8, 2005, Canarsie, Brooklyn, NY---- Manhattan Beer Distributors (MBD) celebrated the opening of its new natural gas vehicle refueling station and the roll-out of 15 new compressed natural gas (CNG) delivery trucks today at its Brooklyn, NY beverage distribution facility.

"We are excited to continue our commitment to cleaner air in New York City", said Simon Bergson, President & CEO, MBD. "We are using CNG in our trucks because it is the right thing to do. Our investment in clean fuel vehicles will help improve New York City's air and ease our reliance on foreign oil." MBD-the largest singlemarket beer distributor in the country-delivers beer to bars, restaurants, supermarkets and hotels in the New York metropolitan area and has a fleet of over 500 vehicles, including 300 beverage delivery trucks. In 2002, MBD became the first private company in the Bronx to convert a portion of its fleet to CNG--and since then MBD has operated 15 CNG vehicles on its Bronx and Manhattan routes. The Brooklyn program will result in the operation of 15 additional CNG vehicles on MBD's Brooklyn routes. By the end of 2005, MBD will operate 30 CNG trucks in New York City.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) provided a $1,033,000 grant through the New York City Department of Transportation Private Fleet/Alternative Fuel Vehicle Program to convert the 15 Brooklyn-based vehicles from diesel to CNG and to develop a natural gas refueling station. "We are pleased that our partnership of State government, City government, and private industry, has once again proven successful in helping to improve the air quality here in New York City. We thank Manhattan Beer for being a leader in investing in cleaner technologies to help meet our future energy needs and transportation needs", said Peter R. Smith, President of NYSERDA. "Governor Pataki has demonstrated his commitment to clean-fuel vehicles through a number of initiatives throughout the State, and today's award is part of that commitment here in New York City." NYSERDA is a public benefit corporation established by law in 1975. It identifies and promotes solutions to New York State's energy challenges in ways that achieve energy efficiency while benefiting the state economy and environment. It administers the NY Energy $mart program that benefits all ratepayers of the investor owned electric companies across New York.

"The New York City Department of Transportation has awarded more than $4.6 million in federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) money to centrally located, private fleets throughout the City that have shown a commitment to reducing vehicle emissions," said Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall. "Thanks, in part, to these funds, Manhattan Beer Distributors has modified 30 diesel trucks to use cleaner burning compressed natural gas and has built a new natural gas fueling site, which means fewer emissions and cleaner air for our City."

Council Member John C. Liu, Chairperson of the New York City Council's Transportation Committee, stated: "Alternative fuel technology will be crucial in our post-Katrina economy by expanding the transportation options available for businesses facing rising oil prices. MBD and NYSERDA should be applauded for initiating and expanding this innovative CNG project, which will help New York City contribute to a reduction in our nation's reliance on fossil fuels."

Twelve of the fifteen 29,000-pound beverage delivery trucks have been "repowered" with John Deere 6.8L CNG engines and three trucks have been "repowered" with Cummins-Westport 8.3L C-Gas Plus CNG engines. Each truck holds approximately 42 gallons (diesel gallon equivalent) of natural gas. The engines and tanks are installed by Bell Power Systems, the authorized distributor of John Deere natural gas engines in the eastern U.S. "The success of Manhattan Beer Distributors' CNG program shows that private fleets can incorporate cleaner, natural gas engines in their day-to-day operation in a cost-effective and reliable way", said Alex Bell, Vice President, Bell Power Systems. "These trucks have identical performance and fuel economy without the harmful diesel emissions."

The vehicles will be fueled at an on-site CNG fueling station installed by Air & Gas Technologies (AGT). "We congratulate Manhattan Beer Distributors on their foresight, community spirit and leadership with the expansion of their CNG vehicle program", stated Vinny Tomasso, President, AGT. MBD's Brooklyn CNG station is designed with a 100 standard cubic feet per minute (SCFM) compressor; 34,713 cubic feet of fuel storage; and a 3600-PSI fast-fill fuel dispenser. AGT has supplied, installed and serviced nearly 100 CNG stations in the New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Natural gas is supplied by KeySpan Energy. Natural gas is a clean, domestically-produced fuel that helps reduce air pollution and our country's dependence on foreign oil. "KeySpan congratulates Manhattan Beer Distributors on the opening of its newest natural gas fueling facility," said Wallace P. Parker, Jr., President of KeySpan Energy Delivery, the natural-gas-distribution subsidiary of KeySpan Corporation. "Manhattan Beer Distributors' leadership in converting so many of its vehicles to natural gas sets an example to all fleet operators who want to save money, help reduce America's dependence on imported petroleum products, and improve the quality of our air."

Manhattan Beer's delivery trucks average 30 to 40 miles per day in New York City. The operation of 15 CNG trucks in Brooklyn will help eliminate approximately 103 tons of vehicle pollution, will eliminate the need for 350 oil changes, will displace an estimated 273,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and will decrease engine noise by 90 percent. Joanna D. Underwood, President of INFORM, a national environmental research organization that has analyzed transportation for 15 years said, "Manhattan Beer deserves our applause today. Every one of the 15 trucks it will be fueling with natural gas will be much quieter as well as cleaner than their diesel counterparts, and every one reduces this country's costly reliance on foreign oil. The new natural gas fueling facility it operates expands the gas transporting technology that not only allows Manhattan Beer to take advantage of natural gas fuel today but that will be needed to transport hydrogen tomorrow."

MBD has been given several awards recognizing its leadership in the use of clean fuel vehicles, including the "Beverage World Magazine 2005 Fleet of the Year" award, the "2005 Sustainable Energy Pioneer Award" given by the Center for Sustainable Energy at Bronx Community College, and the Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition "2002 Achievement Award".

For more information, contact Nick Infante, Media Relations, phone (908) 879-9978, nick@infamor.com, or Mike McCarthy, Vice President, Operations, phone (718)292-9300 x 1235.

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