The Laramie County Public Works Department is hoping an alternative fuel source will help cut costs down the road.

The Laramie County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday awarded a $519,949.03 contract to CGRS, Inc. for the construction of a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling facility at the Archer Complex.

"County Public Works already has 15 bi-fuel vehicles that we currently fuel up over at Black Hills Energy," said Public Works Director Rob Geringer. "Having this facility out at our complex will allow us to not only fuel those vehicles, but also acquire additional vehicles."

"We're looking at some large trucks that haul our belly dumps and we'll eventually start looking at snow plow equipment that will be fueled on compressed natural gas," added Geringer.

Unlike gas and diesel, the cost of CNG has remained relatively unchanged over the past few years.

Geringer says that's enabled the department to make better budget predictions.

"We're currently paying at the pump over at Black Hills about $1.41 a gallon," said Geringer. "And so when that price creeps up on gas and diesel it really makes good economic sense."

The fueling station should be completed within the next few months.

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