BOISE, ID – Republic Services, Inc., the City of Boise, Idaho's waste and recycling collection services contractor, plans to deploy the first CNG refuse truck fleet in Idaho. The company has awarded Clean Energy Fuels Corp. a contract to build and operate a compressed natural gas (CNG) time-fill station and provide fuel.

Republic, which previously operated under the name Allied Waste until a December 2008 merger, provides all solid waste and recycling services to more than 68,000 residential and commercial customers in the Greater Boise area.

"The use of these clean-burning CNG trucks as replacements for our older diesel models aligns with the City of Boise's strategic plan to combat climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure air quality improvements," said Dave Fisher, Republic's Boise general manager. "CNG has proven to be cleaner burning than gasoline or diesel fuel, significantly lowering harmful emissions like nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, toxic pollutants, and greenhouse gas carbon dioxide...natural gas fuel, because it is a domestic resource, is a positive move for the country which will help us reduce our dependence on imported foreign oil."

Boise is home to one-third of Idaho's population and much of the state's industrial and business base, which concentrates in the Treasure Valley section of the city. After careful analysis, the city and Republic determined that a CNG refuse fleet would bring significant air quality and environmental benefits to the area, and help Boise achieve consistent compliance with increasingly stringent standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

"We are proud to work with the City of Boise and Republic to support the first CNG-powered trash truck fleet in Idaho, and believe that this can serve as a model for implementing clean refuse collection policies in cities throughout Idaho," said Ray Burke, Clean Energy vice president.