Natural Gas Station Opens to the Public

24-hour Service Near Airport Encourages Clean Air Vehicles

The Port of Seattle and ENRG Fuel USA, Inc. opened the first large scale, public access, natural gas station in the state near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It will serve Port-owned vehicles that use compressed natural gas (CNG) at the airport and be available and convenient for ground transportation operators that make frequent trips to the airport, neighboring jurisdictions, and the general public with CNG vehicles.

"With our commitment to replace gas and diesel vehicles with CNG vehicles, the Port is helping the region meet air-quality standards and improving air quality for the future," said Bob Edwards, president and chair of the Port of Seattle Commission. "This facility will fuel our own fleet and it will allow other fleets that operate near the airport to move to a cleaner fuel. It offers a clean alternative fuel to gasoline and diesel fuels," he added.

The Port's aviation division established an alternative fuel program that requires airport departments to replace vehicles, where practical, with natural gas vehicles. By the end of this year, the Port will have 37 natural gas vehicles in use at Sea-Tac. The Port has taken delivery on 6 of 16 employee buses, and the first of two runway sweepers. In addition, the Port has three vans, five Hondas, and 11 Ford Crown Victorias.

The Port has been assisted in its efforts by the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition, a voluntary collaboration of public and private entities working to increase the use of alternative fuel vehicles.

Port vehicles will sport new blue decals that identify them as CNG vehicles: it states, "Doing our share for cleaner air -- naturally."

M.R. Dinsmore, Chief Executive Officer of the Port, said "We are proud to take a leadership role in adopting this clean fuel policy and making a commitment to the region to replace our vehicles with clean fuel vehicles. We are providing the infrastructure to allow others to follow our lead."