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Utah now has its first filling station that dispenses liquefied natural gas.
The station is at the Flying J Travel Plaza at 900 W. 2100 South in Salt Lake City and is expected to be frequented by long-haul truck drivers whose rigs have been adapted to burn the fuel.
"This is cutting edge but it may be years before we see LNG widely used," said David Creer, executive director of the Utah Trucking Association. "Still, this is a start."
The $3 million facility was developed as part of a $14.9 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant awarded to the Utah Clean Cities Coalition to encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles through the development of infrastructure and jobs in the state.
LNG is a supercooled fuel that is stored cold on the trucks that use it. The fuel is warmed by the engine and will burn up to 50 percent cleaner than diesel fuel.
The station, which also sells the more widely used compressed natural gas, represents that latest extension of a new LNG fuel corridor that extends from the Port of Los Angeles, through California and southern Nevada to Salt Lake City.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, Gov. Gary Herbert and other Utah dignitaries were on hand Tuesday for the grand opening ceremony.