1. Changes in laws and regulations to which
the Company is subject, including changes in
tax, environmental, safety and employment laws
and regulations;
2.
Changes in economic conditions, including economic
disruptions caused by terrorist activities,
acts of war or major accidents;
3.
Changes in demographic patterns and weather
conditions, including the occurrence of severe
weather, such as hurricanes;
4.
Changes in the availability and/or price of
natural gas or oil and the effect of such changes
on the accounting treatment or valuation of
derivative financial instruments or the Company’s
natural gas and oil reserves;
5.
Impairments under the SEC’s full cost
ceiling test for natural gas and oil reserves;
6.
Changes in the availability and/or price of
derivative financial instruments;
7.
Changes in the price differentials between various
types of oil;
8.
Inability to obtain new customers or retain
existing ones;
9.
Significant changes in competitive factors affecting
the Company;
10.
Governmental/regulatory actions, initiatives
and proceedings, including those involving acquisitions,
financings, rate cases (which address, among
other things, allowed rates of return, rate
design and retained gas), affiliate relationships,
industry structure, franchise renewal, and environmental/safety
requirements;
11.
Unanticipated impacts of restructuring initiatives
in the natural gas and electric industries;
12.
Significant changes from expectations in actual
capital expenditures and operating expenses
and unanticipated project delays or changes
in project costs or plans, including changes
in the plans of the sponsors of the proposed
Millennium Pipeline with respect to that project;
13.
The nature and projected profitability of pending
and potential projects and other investments;
14.
Occurrences affecting the Company’s ability
to obtain funds from operations or from issuances
of debt or equity securities to finance needed
capital expenditures and other investments,
including any downgrades in the Company’s
credit ratings;
15.
Uncertainty of oil and gas reserve estimates;
16.
Ability to successfully identify and finance
acquisitions or other investments and ability
to operate and integrate existing and any subsequently
acquired business or properties;
17.
Ability to successfully identify, drill for
and produce economically viable natural gas
and oil reserves;
18.
Significant changes from expectations in the
Company’s actual production levels for
natural gas or oil;
19.
Regarding foreign operations, changes in trade
and monetary policies, inflation and exchange
rates, taxes, operating conditions, laws and
regulations related to foreign operations, and
political and governmental changes;
20.
Significant changes in tax rates or policies
or in rates of inflation or interest;
21.
Significant changes in the Company’s relationship
with its employees or contractors and the potential
adverse effects if labor disputes, grievances
or shortages were to occur;
22.
Changes in accounting principles or the application
of such principles to the Company;
23.
The cost and effects of legal and administrative
claims against the Company;
24.
Changes in actuarial assumptions and the return
on assets with respect to the Company’s
retirement plan and post-retirement benefit
plans;
25.
Increasing health care costs and the resulting
effect on health insurance premiums and on the
obligation to provide post-retirement benefits;
or
26.
Increasing costs of insurance, changes in coverage
and the ability to obtain insurance.