City of Tulare's liquid natural gas fuel station may open to public. Privately owned trucks and cars could soon join Tulare city buses and garbage trucks in fueling up at the city's liquefied-natural-gas station.

   Clean Energy, the company that provides fuel to the station, is proposing investing USD 500.000 in the city-owned fueling station, taking over station management and opening it to the public, said Tulare Public Works Director Lew Nelson.

   The city uses LNG to power buses and garbage trucks, and compressed natural gas (CNG) for other city vehicles.

   Under the proposal, Clean Energy would add fuel dispensers and replace them if necessary; upgrade compressed natural gas pressure and storage capacity; and increase LNG storage capacity. The proposal also calls for Clean Energy to set retail prices for fuel sales; pay the city a royalty per gallon sold to privately owned vehicle; and maintain the station.

   Tulare would continue buying LNG from Clean Energy, which already operates stations in Southern California. "There are many benefits to the local fleets from use of LNG fuel instead of diesel, including operating cost per mile and reduced air emissions," Nelson said.

   Tulare City Manager Darrel Pyle said improvements at the gas-fueling station could lead to new tax revenue for local coffers. "That could be an interesting revenue source," he said.