PITTSTON - Officials of the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania (EDCNP) announced that, "The population of Northeastern Pennsylvania is well over one million."

Within the seven counties of Northeastern Pennsylvania including Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, and Wayne, plus Wyoming and Columbia Counties which are part of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton metropolitan area, reside an estimated one million people as noted by David A. Donlin, President of the EDCNP. Donlin said this powerful statistic will be verified when the Census 2000 numbers are released in 2001.

According to Howard J. Grossman, Executive Director of EDCNP, having over one million citizens within the designated geographic area is an important statistic for many reasons including the attraction of new economic growth to the region, business expansions, marketing of facilities such as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons AAA Minor League Professional Baseball Franchise, the marketing of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the American Hockey League Franchise within the region.

The recent announcement of a new terminal building at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, and other major facilities in planning stages such as the Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts which will be the summer home of the Pittsburgh Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra residence and American Ballet Theater residence are key infrastructure facilities which are based upon population within the region as well as New York/New Jersey population movement into Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The 1999 population estimates are the prelude to other types of information and data which will be released on population, employment, housing, income and many other statistical factors which will be fully interpreted and analyzed once the data has been published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census in 2001 and following years.

For further information pertaining to the Year 2000 census and the announced population figures for 1999, contact the EDCNP, 1151 Oak Street, Pittston, PA 18640. Telephone: 570/655-5581, Fax: 570/654-5137, e-mail: info@edcnp.org, or online at: www.edcnp.org.