Tulsans driving vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG) can now fill their tanks at Tulsa's new CNG filling station. The new station is located at the City of Tulsa's west maintenance yard, 428 W. 23rd St.
Mayor Dewey Bartlett was at the opening ceremony today. He stated that there is a growing need for public CNG stations in Tulsa and throughout the nation.
"CNG is a much cleaner-burning fuel for motor vehicles," Bartlett said
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, using CNG as a motor fuel in light vehicles, instead of gasoline:
--Reduces carbon monoxide emissions by 90 to 97 percent.
--Reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent.
--Reduces nitrogen oxide emissions 35 to 60 percent
--Emits fewer toxic and carcinogenic pollutants.
--Reduces particulate matter by 80 percent or more, depending on type of vehicle.
Bartlett noted that most of the components, labor and expertise for all of the City's CNG fueling facilities have been supplied by local contractors, which brings jobs to the Tulsa area.
"Producing, processing, transporting and marketing natural gas is a huge industry in Oklahoma," the mayor said. "Using CNG to fuel vehicles not only is better for the environment, it is good for the local economy."
The City of Tulsa is gradually replacing gasoline and diesel vehicles with CNG vehicles in its internal fleet. Tulsa's new trash-hauling contractor, New Solutions Inc., will be using many new CNG trucks in its operations. Tulsa Transit's CNG fleet is also growing. It has 15 large fixed-route CNG buses and 37 smaller CNG buses and vans for its Lift program. It will add seven more large CNG buses next year.
Tulsa will host a CNG summit later this month. The Tulsa Area Clean Cities event will be at the University of Oklahoma Schusterman Center on Sept. 19 and will educate business owners and fleet managers about the benefits of using CNG.
More information about that summit is available at www.TulsaCleanCities.com/CNGsummit.
