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Show ThursdayL August 31 1989 , Sun Advocate, Price, Utah 3 State cars moving to natural gas Utah is moving down the road to cleaner air with the recent announcement that two agencies will be using natural gas to fuel fleet vehicles and buses. The Utah Department of Natural Resources has converted its first fleet vehicle to compressed natural gas and said it intends to convert additional vehicles soon. The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) announced that funding had been approved for the purchase of five buses to be fueled by compressed natural gas. Gasoline- - and diesel-fuele- d vehicles have been identified as contributors to deteriorating air quality. Federal regulation has singled out buses and fleet vehicles as prime targets for emissions control, and proposed federal legislation may require fleet conversions to alternate fuels. The use of clean fuels in vehicles can go a long way towards solving our air pollution problems. We want to be among the leaders, said Dennis Carver, Department of Natural Resources financial analyst and supervisor of the departments motor pool. Carver said the department intends to convert several of its vehicles to natural gas. The conversions will be done in cooperation with Mountain Fuel Supply Co.s program for initiating fleet use of natural gas vehicles (NGV). John Inglish, UTA assistant general manager, said that adding the natural buses to the UTA fleet is an important step toward helping Utah cities meet air pollution standards recently imposed by the federal . gas-power- ed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the last year, the EPA has passed regulations to reduce the amount of particulate emissions from diesel engines in transit buses to 10 percent of the current levels, Inglish said. These regulations will go into effect in 1991. The compressed natural gas engine will not emit parti- culate matter and easily meets the EPA standard without suffering loss in power or increased operating cost, he said. In fact, were optimistic that our maintenance costs would be, at the most, equivalent to what they are now, and perhaps even less. The buses are expected to cost between $200,000 and $240,000 each. Inglish said UTA will buy the buses under a federal grant program with 75 percent funding from the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA). The remaining 25 percent will be shared equally by the Utah Energy Office and Mountain Fuel. The UTA will now ask bus manufacturers to submit bids to build the five buses. Delivery is expected in 18 to 24 months. Mountain Fuel, which provides natural gas service to most of Utah and southwest Wyoming, began using natural gas in some of its vehicles in 1983 with construction of the companys first natural gas filling station. According to company officials, advances in NGV technology now make it feasible to convert a significant part of Mountain Fuels fleet to natural gas. In addition, the company has constructed a second natural gas filling station that makes the fueling of other fleet vehicles possible as well. As part of its program to introduce NGVs to fleet operators, Mountain Fuel is converting a limited number of vehicles in other companies fleets. We will carefully monitor the operating and maintenance costs and emission levels of our NGVs as well as those we convert in outside fleets, said Mountain Fuel President D.N. Rose. We will use these results to provide the operating and maintenance expertise others need in choosing to run their vehicles on natural gas. As well as eliminating par- ticulate emissions, burning natural gas in vehicles can reduce other harmful emissions by 50 to 90 percent. Utahs natural beauty is an important asset, and we share the states commitment to environmental quality, Rose said. Natural gas is known for its cleanliness and is an environmentally friendly fuel that can help contribute to cleaner air. Rose noted that compressed natural gas has a proven safety record as a vehicle fuel. The tanks are made ofsteel or aluminum 12 to 34 of an inch thick, he said. They can withstand severe abuse beyond the capability of any standard gasoline tank made of thin sheet metal. Also, natural gas is lighter than air and dissipates when released into the atmosphere. In addition, NGV users report oil changes are needed only every 10,000 to 20,000 miles. Spark plugs, points and other components may last as long as 75,000 miles. School is open Rowleys kindergarten class listens while she reads them a story at Durrant Elementary. District school officials say all classes opened without any major hitches. Mrs. Long Walk Quarry tour The CASTLE DALE Emery County Museum will host Frank DeCourten, curator of the Utah Museum of Natural History and director of excavation at the Long Walk Quarry in a lecture and discussion to be held in the Commissioners Chambers of the Emery County Courthouse on Friday, Sept. at 7:30 p.m. A field trip to is planned for Sept. 2. 1, the quarry Saturday, Recent work at the Long Walk Quarry has resulted in the discovery of three different dinosaurs which have not been previously identified in Utah. The most abundant remains are those of a small Brontosaurus like animal named Pleurocoelus. In addition, a large bipedal carnivore and a similar, but smaller, predator have been recognized among the remains. A new dinosaur track site was discovered in early August a few hundred yards west of the quarry. The field trip will leave the Emery County Museum at 9 a.m. Saturday. Due to recent flooding drive vehicles are Ah Mu (Continued from Page 1) tunity to create a wonderful staff. The board members I have worked with have been outstanding and supportive. They have always been there when I needed them. I couldnt have done anything without a tremendous board and staff. The leisure services board of directors scheduled a special meeting on Sept. 8 to REMINGTON Premier Ammuntion review the agencys job descriptions and objectives Orig. $6.59 NOW ONLY jCPenney prior to advertising for applicants to permanently replace Ah Mu. Son Advocate. All rights reserved. All property ol Sun Advocate. No part hereof may be reproduced without prior written Copyright 1989 consent. Sun fldvocat q Published Every Tuesday and Thursday by the Sun Advocate 76 W. Main, Price, Utah 86501. Phone (801) tau GOasro to? (te M , Orig. $5.95 NOW ONLY $49 Semi-Aut- o 0 Browning Shotgun 12 gauge Reg. $561.95 Browning Citouri over - under fixed choke shotgun. 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