Exhibit 99.1

                                                 For more information, contact:
                                                 Debbie Hagen at 913-652-6547
                                                 or dhagen2@swbell.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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               Inergy, L.P. to Acquire Hancock Gas Service of Ohio
                  Company Continues to Grow through Acquisition

     Kansas City, MO (August 15, 2002) - Inergy, L.P. (NASDAQ: NRGY), today
announced it will acquire the operations of Hancock Gas Service, Inc.,
headquartered in Findlay, Ohio.

     Hancock Gas Service operates four customer service centers and two
satellite plants in northwestern Ohio. The company delivers approximately 7.4
million gallons of propane per year to 8,500 customers. Their employees will
continue to serve customers under the regionally known Hancock name. This
acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive on a distributable cash flow
per unit basis.

     "Hancock Gas Service is a well managed company with an excellent long term
industry reputation. It meets all of our criteria for a successful acquisition,"
said John Sherman, President and CEO of Inergy. "We are very pleased to expand
our Ohio operations to include Hancock Gas Service, and we welcome their
outstanding team of employees."

     Tom Klein, President of Hancock Gas Service agrees. "This is a wonderful
opportunity for the employees of Hancock Gas Service and the Klein family. We
are proud of our reputation and honored that Inergy has chosen to establish
their Ohio marketing operations with our company as the base."

     The transaction is subject to standard closing conditions and is expected
to close in September.

     Inergy, L.P. - headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri - is one of the
fastest growing propane gas marketing and distribution businesses in the
country. The company's operations include the retail marketing, sale and
distribution of propane to residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural
customers and the wholesale marketing of propane to independent dealers and
multi-state marketers. Inergy also operates a growing supply logistics and
transportation business. Today Inergy serves nearly 200,000 retail customers
from 98 customer service centers.

     Corporate news, unit prices and additional information about Inergy are
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on the company's web site,
www.InergyPropane.com.

     This news release contains forward-looking statements, including the
statement that the acquisition will be immediately accretive, which are subject
to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although Inergy believes that
its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance
that such assumptions will materialize. These and other risks and assumptions
are described in Inergy's reports that are available from the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission.

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