Schuylkill, Monroe, Lehigh and Northampton counties' public transit systems are among 29 in line to get compressed natural gas fueling stations, Gov. Tom Wolf announced recently.

The $84.5 million statewide project to build the fueling stations are planned as part of a public-private partnership among the state Department of Transportation, Trillium CNG and the Cambria County Transit Authority.Trillium will design, build, finance, operate and maintain the fueling stations through the 20-year public private partnership agreement.PennDOT will receive a 15 percent royalty, excluding taxes, for each gallon of fuel sold to the public, which will be used to support the cost of the project. The team has guaranteed at least $2.1 million in royalties over the term of the agreement.The start dates for construction to begin are this year for Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority's Allentown facility; 2019 for Monroe County Transportation Authority; and 2021 for Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority's Easton facility and Schuylkill Transportation System.Six counties will offer CNG for public use. They are Cambria County Transportation, Central Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, York facility; New Castle Area Transportation Authority (2017); Indiana County Transportation Authority; County of Lackawanna Transportation System; and Erie Metropolitan Transportation Authority (2018).Johnstown has a public CNG station.In Schuylkill County, Schuylkill Transportation System Executive Director David Bekisz said CNG would save money and be better for the environment."STS is excited to be able to introduce this to the county. It will mean cost savings on the diesel end and a greener environment for all of us," he said. "We're all very excited here to be a part of that."STS will change over its fleet from diesel to CNG in time for the new station, he said.Bekisz said STS has plans to upgrade its administration and maintenance facility in St. Claire. The CNG station will likely be built there. If it's built elsewhere, it will still be close to Pottsville, he said."We're working with engineers to determine what would work best," Bekisz said.The county already has a privately owned CNG station at Highridge Industrial Park.Monroe County Transit Authority Assistant Executive Director Rich Schlameuss is also looking forward to the cost savings and environmental benefits."CNG is a lower-cost, lower-emission fuel versus diesel. The use of CNG fuel for MCTA fixed-route vehicles will decrease our fuel costs, as CNG fuel is cheaper than diesel. It will also be better for the environment as it produces less pollution from the vehicle exhaust system," he said.The changeover from diesel to CNG is a boost for the state's economy, too, Schlameuss said."As this fuel is produced in Pennsylvania, it provides the benefit of sustaining employment for residents of our commonwealth," he said.The agency will change over its fleet to CNG ahead of the CNG station installation."At this time no MCTA vehicles are equipped to run on CNG. The installation of this facility will provide us the ability to procure future fixed route bus replacements with CNG fuel systems," he said.Using the P3 procurement mechanism allows PennDOT to install the fueling stations faster than if a traditional procurement mechanism was used for each site, resulting in significant estimated capital cost savings of more than $46 million.When the project is completed, the fueling stations will supply gas to more than 1,600 CNG buses at transit agencies across the state.Compressed natural gas fueling stations future locationsThe transit agencies in line for the CNG stations:Construction starting in 2017: Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority, Allentown Facility; Cambria County Transportation Authority, Johnstown facility; Central Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, York facility; Mid Mon Valley Transportation Authority; Cambria County Transportation Authority, Ebensburg facility; Westmoreland County Transportation Authority; Centre Area Transportation Authority; Beaver County Transportation Authority; Crawford Area Transportation Authority; New Castle Area Transportation Authority; County of Lebanon Transportation Authority; Altoona Metro Transit; and Central Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Gettysburg Facility.Construction starting in 2018: Butler Transportation Authority; Indiana County Transportation Authority; County of Lackawanna Transportation System; and Erie Metropolitan Transportation Authority.Construction starting in 2019: Monroe County Transportation Authority; Mercer County Regional Council of Governments; Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation System; Area Transportation Authority of North Central PA, Bradford Facility; and Area Transportation Authority of North Central PA, Johnsonburg Facility.Construction starting in 2020: DuBois, Falls Creek, Sandy Township Joint Transportation Authority.Construction starting in 2021: Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority, Easton Facility; Schuylkill Transportation System; Luzerne County Transportation Authority; Transit Authority of Warren County; Capital Area Transit; and Port Authority of Allegheny County.- Chris Parker