FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

OMB APPROVAL

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden
hours per response. . .0.5

Filed By Romeo & Dye's Instant Form 4 Filer
www.section16.net

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Laurito, James P.	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Energy East Corporation (EAS)		6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) President & Chief Operating Officer-Connecticut Natural Gas Corp. and Southern Connecticut Gas Corp., both subsidiaries of Energy East Corp.
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Rich, Walter G.	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Energy East Corporation (EAS)		6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X Director 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)
(Last) (First) (Middle) 9 Turnberry Lane	3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (voluntary)	4. Statement for Month/Day/Year December 9, 2002
(Last) (First) (Middle) Delaware Otsego Corporation 1 Railroad Avenue	3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (voluntary)	4. Statement for Month/Day/Year January 3, 2003
(Street) Avon, CT 06001		5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)	7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(Street) Cooperstown, NY 13326		5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)	7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City) (State) (Zip)	Table I — Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans- action Date (Month/ Day/ Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/ Year)	3. Trans- action Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 & 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Follow- ing Reported Transactions(s) (Instr. 3 & 4)	6. Owner- ship Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock								162000.~~6338(1)~~0000	D
Common Stock								918.8980(2)	I	By 401(k) Plan

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number

FORM 4 (continued)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conver- sion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Trans- action Date (Month/ Day/ Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/ Day/ Year)

4. Trans- action Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 & 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/ Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 & 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Owner- ship Form of Deriv- ative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date Exer-cisable

Expira- tion Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Phantom Shares

1 for 1

121/91/0203

400.0000

(31)

Common Stock

37400.~~1670~~0000

~~21.3000~~

~~437~~8937.~~5180~~7541(42)

~~By Trust~~

Employee Stock Option (right to buy) / SAR (5)

(6)

2/1/11

Common Stock

25000.0000

Employee Stock Option (right to buy) / SAR (5)

(7)

5/29/11

Common Stock

25000.0000

Employee Stock Option (right to buy) / SAR (5)

(8)

2/8/12

Common Stock

50000.0000

Explanation of Responses: (1) ~~Includes~~Phantom ~~equity~~stock ~~securities~~granted ~~acquired~~and ~~with~~dividend ~~reinvested~~phantom ~~dividends~~stock ~~which~~credited ~~are~~to ~~exempt~~a ~~from~~participant's ~~reporting~~account under ~~Rule 16a-11.(2) Includes equity securities acquired with participant contributions, Company matching fund contributions, and reinvested dividends pursuant to~~ the ~~common stock fund of the~~ Company's ~~401(k)~~Director Share Plan ~~which~~may ~~are~~be ~~exempt~~settled ~~from reporting.(3) The phantom shares are held~~ in ancash ~~employee~~only ~~deferred~~after ~~compensation~~the ~~plan.~~participant ~~All~~ceases ~~payments pursuant~~ to ~~this~~serve ~~plan~~as ~~shall~~a bedirector ~~paid in cash and shall commence upon retirement or other termination~~ of ~~employment~~the Company.(42) Includes dividend phantom stock acquired pursuant to the dividend reinvestment feature included in the employee deferred compensation plan.(5) The Stock Appreciation Right (SAR) was issued in tandem with an Employee Stock Option (right to buy). The exercise of a SAR will result in the corresponding cancellation of the Employee Stock Option (right to buy) to the extent of the number of shares of the Company's ~~Common~~Director ~~Stock~~Share asPlan to which SARs are exercised. The exercise of the Employee Stock Option (right to buy) will result in the corresponding cancellation of a SAR to the extent of the number of shares of the Company's Common Stock as to which the Employee Stock Option (right to buy) is ~~exercised.(6)~~exempt ~~The~~from ~~option~~reporting isunder ~~exercisable~~Rule in three installments regarding the original number of options granted as follows: (a) in aggregate as to no more than 33 1/3% on February 1, 2001; (b) in aggregate as to no more than 66 2/3% on January 1, 2002; and (c) on January 1, 2003 as to 100% of all options which have not been previously exercised16a-11. (7) The option is exercisable in three installments regarding the original number of options granted as follows: (a) in aggregate as to no more than 33 1/3% on May 29, 2001; (b) in aggregate as to no more than 66 2/3% on January 1, 2002; and (c) on January 1, 2003 as to 100% of all options which have not been previously exercised. (8) The option is exercisable in three installments regarding the original number of options granted as follows: (a) in aggregate as to no more than 33 1/3% on February 8, 2002; (b) in aggregate as to no more than 66 2/3% on January 1, 2003; and (c) on January 1, 2004 as to 100% of all options which have not been previously exercised.

By: /s/ ~~James~~Walter PG. ~~Laurito~~Rich **Signature of Reporting Person 121/103/0203 Date

**Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations.
See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

Filing Compare · ENERGY EAST CORP