BESICORP - EMPIRE TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS ON PROPOSED NEWSPAPER RECYCLING/POWER FACILITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KINGSTON, NEW YORK - Besicorp-Empire Development Company, LLC announced today that it will hold a series of public meetings to discuss specific issues of public interest regarding the proposed newspaper recycling/power generating facility to be located in the City of Rensselaer on the current BASF site. Public input from these meetings will be used to help scope the project's application. Public information meeting dates and specific topics to be discussed are as follows:

Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - Air Issues
Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - Water Issues
Thursday, March 29, 2001 - Community Impacts (Visual/Noise/Traffic)
Tuesday, April 3, 2001 - Safety/Material Use

All meetings will be held at:
St. Joseph's-St. John's Academy
1641 Third Street, Rensselaer
7:00 - 9:30 p.m.

For more information on this meeting or the project, please contact us at (518) 465-6751 or visit our website at www.besicorp.com.

Besicorp-Empire Development Company, LLC is a joint venture between Besicorp Development, Inc. and Empire State Newsprint LLC. Besicorp Development, Inc. specializes in the development of environmentally sound independent power projects.

Contact: Sean Casey or Rose Raus
Sawchuk, Brown Associates (518) 462-0318.