This week, Pittsburgh City Council will vote on replacing diesel garbage trucks with clean, compressed natural gas fueled engines (“Pittsburgh officials divided on investing in natural gas garbage trucks,” March 2, TribLIVE). The resolution should pass unanimously, as CNG (compressed natural gas) already is contributing to cleaning Pittsburgh’s air.
Natural gas is a clean, locally produced fuel that’s being deployed with great success in trucks, school buses and tractor trailers. Giant Eagle’s fleet is fueled by CNG; it offers economic savings and significantly reduced tailpipe emissions. The City of Pittsburgh has procured Pennsylvania-produced natural gas for its own truck fleets, which has saved money for taxpayers while enhancing local air quality for the benefit of sensitive populations. And leading waste company, Waste Management, made the transition to CNG, greatly benefiting the environment.
In vehicles, CNG reduces approximately 14,000 tons of criteria air pollutants and 10.6 million tons of greenhouse gases. An all-electric fleet reduces pollutants by less than those achieved by CNG. These vehicles are quieter than older trucks, and the fuel is affordable and readily accessible. Unlike their electric counterparts, CNG trucks have the torque and hauling capability to meet the fundamental needs of any basic municipal service: to make sure waste and recycling are collected on schedule so that our city can remain clean.
It is imperative that City Council take action to save money, reduce emissions and provide uninterrupted service by supporting CNG-fueled trucks.
David Callahan
Robinson