Apr. 22--Fleet cars powered by compressed natural gas got a boost Tuesday from a new filling station that opened at Will Rogers World Airport.

The station mainly will serve Airport Express, which has pledged to convert all of its shuttle vehicles to CNG. The 24-hour station, at 4424 Amelia Earhart Drive, also is open to the public.

Oklahoma City's Department of Airports awarded Clean Energy Fuels Corp., founded by T. Boone Pickens, a 10-year contract to develop and supply the facility.

First in 10 years The airport filling station is the first new public-access station to open in about 10 years, said James Orsulak, business development manager for Clean Energy.

Compressed natural gas is affordable, clean-burning and domestically produced, causing the price to be less likely to fluctuate, he said.

"It doesn't have to travel across the globe to get into your car," Orsulak said.

Officials sing praises Mayor Mick Cornett, House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, and Mark Kranenburg, Oklahoma City director of airports, were among those attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday afternoon.

Decreasing our reliance on foreign oil and using clean-burning natural gas is "simply smart thinking," said Cornett, applauding the new filling station.

"We hope this is the first of many in Oklahoma City," he said.

A CNG-powered Honda Civic and Chevy Impala were displayed at the station for the opening ceremony. Consumers can buy those cars directly from a dealer, Orsulak said.

Each of the cars has a range of at least 300 miles on a tank of fuel -- equivalent to a gasoline-powered car -- and don't lack in performance.

"It's designed to be invisible. You shouldn't know it's an alternative-fueled vehicle," he said.

The more fueling stations that are available, the more likely consumers will consider buying a CNG-powered vehicle for personal use, said Benge, who drove a CNG-powered car to the opening.

Benge has authored several bills this year to increase the number of Oklahomans driving CNG vehicles and boost the natural gas infrastructure across the state.

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