Public utilities provide electric, gas, water or telephone service to customers in a specified area. Utilities have a duty to provide safe and adequate service on reasonable terms to anyone who lives within the service area on without discriminating between customers. Because most utilities operate in near monopolistic conditions, they can be heavily regulated by local, state, and federal authorities. Generally, the local and state agencies are called Public Service Commissions (PSC) or Public Utility Commissions (PUC). Municipal Utilities and Rural Electric Cooperatives may be unregulated though.
Earth City, Missouri is an unincorporated community located in St. Louis County, along Interstate 70 near the Missouri River. It is bounded by the city of Bridgeton on the east and north, the city of Maryland Heights to the south, and the Missouri River to the west. It is also in proximity to Lambert International Airport. The town is notable as being home to the headquarters of the Save-A-Lot grocery chain and a major UPS shipping hub. It is a major business park bounded by I-70 on the south, I-270 on the east, and MO 370 to the north. It is also within 3 miles of 3 of the 4 major river crossing bridges over the Missouri River. At one time Express Scripts had its headquarters in Maryland Heights, near Earth City. Express Scripts announced in 2005 that it will build a new headquarters on the grounds of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The company planned to break ground for the facility in late 2005 and move into the facility in March 2007. On June 8, 2007, Express Scripts opened its new world headquarters.