CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

[eloo]

FYI on feedback to my email question:
"Any plans for CNG fueling stations in the NW? There's a big gap between Medford and Portland."

"We are working on it through the Govenor's Alternate Fuel Intrastructure task force. The real problem is getting private equity to fund these stations. There are currently about 400 CNG vehicles in Oregon right now and this is not a big enough market to justify the kind of capital required. Hence government will have to step in. I believe that oil prices are going to head up and we will soon be approaching $4 gasoline again. That should get some renewed interest and activity going."

Christopher F. Galati, P.E.
Director Conservation & Technology
NW Natural Gas
(503) 721-2472

[Stu Man]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

Station – Pacific Pride Cardlock Bretthauer Oil Company at
21180 NW Amberwood Dr, Hillsboro, OR

After reading the CNGPrices.com comment 2009-10-30 CNG pumps will be turned off for good at the end of the year. Not happy., it looks like the CNG Vehicle folks in Portland will left without any public fueling after December 31, 2009.

Does anyone know if Portland Oregon, or the State of Oregon will be getting any replacement CNG Filling infrastructure ?

I was at this Bretthauer Oil Company location in mid September 2009, and the 2 CNG Pumps seemed to be working just fine. As I was leaving, I saw a State Honda GX arrive for fueling. I wonder what will happen to these State Owned GXs, if there is no fast filling ?

Thanks

Stu Man

[cnguser]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

This hits the hot button for me here in Oregon - lack of CNG fueling infrastructure, with the exception of the Medford area. And now if the only public fueling for Portland area is closing, there goes the link to get to Seattle, and the backup for when my FuelMaker goes down. I have a CNG account at the Bretthauer facility but have not received any notice regarding this.

As for state vehicles refueling, there are numerous private fueling facilities owned by the state. These are found on the US DOE site that lists public and private facilities:

http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations/

Northwest Natural, the public natural gas supplier here, also listed, has their own private CNG fueling for their trucks. Maybe Mr. Galati could be accomodating to arrange for one of their facilities to enable card holders with an account to obtain CNG until such time that (hopefully) a public facility re-opens. They used to have a card access station in Portland where I fueled, but for unknown reasons it was closed a few years ago.

Two other public transportation facilities with private CNG fueling might be approached for offering potential adjacent public stations:
Port of Portland (Portland International Airport) near I-205
Salem-Keizer Transit near I-5 in Salem
Both operate CNG buses for public use.

[Linda]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

I spoke to the folks at Northwest Natural and they said the use of their facility is under consideration for govt filling and possiblepublic on an emergency basis. More to come...

http://www.bretthauer.com/

Linda

[Stu Man]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

Hi Linda :

Thanks for keeping this Forum and CNGprices.com up to date.

Hopefully the People at Northwest will come through for us CNGers, in the Portland Area.

Stu Man

[John Mitton]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

Sorry to see this station close

We have 51 registered users in Oregon here at CNGchat. Do you want me to send out a blast e-mail for any grass-roots initiatives?

[cnguser]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

From John Mitton:
"Sorry to see this station close.

We have 51 registered users in Oregon here at CNGchat. Do you want me to send out a blast e-mail for any grass-roots initiatives?"

John - YES that would be good. I was only aware of about 3 of us here in the forum. I think if we each could contact some of these potential existing private sources and express our concerns and needs - it would show more interest than what they otherwise think is in Oregon.

CNGUSER

[larrycng]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

Check with Abe Fhoy (sp) at Clackamus Communiity College, they were going to have an alternate fuel intro course going right now that covers CNG

Larrycng

[eloo]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

There seems to be an anti-LNG movement against NW Natural. Maybe it's intended to focus only on foreign LNG, but it certainly doesn't help to promote CNG infrastructure.

Hey, Northwest Natural – LNG’s a Climate Crime!
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/...climate-crime/

Fighting Liquefied Natural Gas, From Oregon to Peru
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/...regon-to-peru/

[John Mitton]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

cnguser, please send me a PM with your thoughts as to the text for an e-mail blast to the Oregon CNGchatters.

[Stu Man]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

Hi John & CNGUSER :

I am willing to help.

I can write letters, send Emails, make telephone calls, etc.

We really like being able to CNG all the way to Portland Oregon, from Canada.

Stu Man

From John Mitton:
"Sorry to see this station close.

We have 51 registered users in Oregon here at CNGchat. Do you want me to send out a blast e-mail for any grass-roots initiatives?"

John - YES that would be good. I was only aware of about 3 of us here in the forum. I think if we each could contact some of these potential existing private sources and express our concerns and needs - it would show more interest than what they otherwise think is in Oregon.

CNGUSER

[rjallan]

Oregon's CNG dilema

As a Civic GX owner I am very dissapointed by Bretthauer's decision to close their CNG facility. According to Bertthauer they are not making money on their system and neghborhood complaints about the noisy compressor were the issues.
I called the Governor's taskforce on Alternate fuel and they refused to return my calls. Finally I got through and I was told "we want the private sector to provide the fueling needs of Oregon". They weren't even interested in taking my name for consumer input for their taskforce.
I am not sure what the taskforce is doing but it appears they are not interested in us consumers.
Maybe when fuel goes back up to $4/gl or we have another shortage maybe they will get CNG back from being history.
Meanwhile I am looking into a fuelmaker so my Civic GX won't become just a conversation piece

[cngmike]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

What exactly does the Governors task force do? I might know a guy with a couple of 3000 psi FM4 Fuelmakers laying around.

[eloo]

Re: CNG Status in Oregon (29 Jun 2009)

I think Mr. Galati (in the initial post) was referring to Oregon's
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Infrastructure Work Group (not "task force"); see
http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/P2008/press_092608.shtml

For Governors' Task Force Members, see
http://www.i-5partnership.com/committees/tf_mem.html
Members are appointed by Governor of Oregon, John Kitzhaber and Governor of Washington, Gary Locke to examine the I-5 corridor between Portland and Vancouver. The Task Force was charged with developing a Strategic Plan for the corridor.

[300mileclub]

Kitzhaber's 10 year "Energy Plan" released today missing public CNG infrastructure

No recommendation in Oregon Governor's plan for public fueling at gas utility and State CNG stations.

The report is the "10-Year Energy Action Plan" link at:

http://www.oregon.gov/energy/pages/t...rgy_plan.aspx:

10-Year Energy Action Plan (linked from web page)
Page 13 ...Over the next ten years, the State will reduce dependence on fossil fuels by assisting in the conversion of 20 percent of large fleets to alternative fuel vehicles, including, but not limited to, electric, compressed natural gas (“CNG”), and liquefied natural gas (“LNG”)...
Page 36 Action Item: Based on successful programs elsewhere, Oregon should develop a comprehensive alternative fuel program that allows utility-ownership of refueling infrastructure and provides incentives, where appropriate, for vehicle conversions. Replacement vehicles include, but are not limited to, biodiesel, electric, CNG, propane and LNG vehicles...The state will implement the recommendations of the Energizing Oregon Plan that identifies regulatory streamlining and infrastructure needs.

Appendix I (linked from web page)
Page 8 ...use of electric, CNG or propane vehicles is creating a new role for Oregon’s utilities as they become fuel providers for the transportation sector...
Page 16...By 2020, CNG refueling infrastructure will allow for fleet use by XX% of all light- and heavy-duty fleets...
Page 20...building the needed alternative fuel vehicle infrastructure (EV and CNG) at home, at work, in public areas and for commercial fleets...

Appendix II (linked from web page)
Page 81...(CNG) will also provide a domestically produced energy source for the commercial vehicle fleet for freight transport...
Page 82...Support public and private sector alternative fuel refueling infrastructure...CNG for commercial and transit fleets...

Appendix III-IX make no reference to CNG
_________________________________________________

There are a number of Gas Utility and State CNG stations in the 2012 list of Oregon CNG stations. NW Natural and AVISTA are the gas utilities in the state. Only the two stations in Medford offer public CNG fuel:

Pilot Travel Center (I-84/82 Exit 188) 2115 Highway 395 Stanfield, OR (LNG only)
St Helens City Shops, 984 Oregon Street, St. Helens, OR
NW Natural - Sunset Service Ctr 20605 NW Amberwood Dr Hillsboro, OR
Portland CC 6400 N Cutter Circle Portland, OR (non-operational;equipment at site)
Waste Management 5310 NE Skyport Way in Portland, OR

Port of Portland Airport 7111 NE Alderwood Portland, OR
NW Natural - Parkrose Service Center 12120 NE Inverness Dr Portland, OR
NW Distribution Center American Honda, 16800 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR
Gresham Sanitary Services 2131 NW Birdsdale Avenue, Gresham, OR
NW Natural - Scott Service Center 9222 SE Knapp St Portland, OR

Heiberg Garbage and Recycling 2300 SE Hanna Harvester Dr, Milwaukie, OR
NW Natural - Tualatin Service Center 7100 SW McEwan Rd Tualatin, OR
NW Natural - South Center 19200 SW Teton Ave Tualatin, OR
Pride Disposal Co 13980 SW Tualatin Sherwood Road, Sherwood, OR
SMART 8455 SW Elligsen Rd, Wilsonville, OR (Moving in 2013 to 28754 Boberg Rd)

Salem-Keizer Transit 3170 Del Webb Ave NE Salem, OR
NW Natural - Salem Service Center 3123 Broadway St NE Salem, OR
Oregon DAS Motor Pool 1100 Airport Rd SE Salem, OR
University Motor Pool 3233 Franklin Boulevard, Eugene, OR motorpool.oregonstate.edu
AVISTA Utilities 1404 Green Siding Rd Roseburg, OR

Pilot Travel Center (I-5 Exit 33) 1600 East Pine St Central Point, OR (LNG only)
RVTD 3200 Crater Lake Av, Medford, OR
Jackson County Motorpool 808 W Main St Medford, OR
AVISTA Utilities 2825 Dakota Ct, Klamath Falls, OR