DEP Secretary Tours Vogel Holdings' Compressed Natural Gas Filling Station and High BTU Gas Processing Plant at Seneca Landfill
L to R: Staci Gustafson (Northwest Assistant Regional Director of DEP), Bob Beatty of Insight Fuel (forefront), Patrick McDonnell (Secretary of DEP), Ed Vogel (Vice President of Vogel Holdings), and Geoff Bristow (Regional Energy Program Manager of DEP). Building on the Wolf Administration's commitment to support clean energy vehicle projects in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Patrick McDonnell and staff joined representatives from Vogel Holdings and Insight Fuel on June 6 to tour the newly constructed Lego-V Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Filling Station at Seneca Landfill. Discussions included how the landfill is a renewable energy source for alternative-fueled vehicles and how the recent Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) awarded to Seneca Landfill by the Commonwealth will help innovate the expansion of renewable energy in Pennsylvania.
Secretary McDonnell was given a tour of the Lego-V CNG Filling Station that utilizes landfill gas processed at Seneca Landfill's on-site High BTU Plant. The processed landfill gas is then converted into fuel for motorized vehicles, including 38 CNG Garbage Trucks operated by Vogel. The Lego-V CNG Station not only fuels internal fleet vehicles but also expands the footprint for CNG Filling Stations in the Commonwealth as it is open to the public. This renewable natural gas in comparison to diesel fuel is a cleaner and more environmentally-friendly option as it produces less greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions.
"The Seneca Landfill is no longer managed as a solid waste disposal facility but is operated as a manufacturing facility for renewable green energy and we want to see this continue and expand well into the future," Ed Vogel, Vice President of Vogel Holdings stated.
Further discussions included the AFIG for an innovative technology project that will expand on the Lego-V CNG Filling Station by building a virtual natural gas pipeline system to transport renewable compressed natural gas to more markets throughout Pennsylvania from the Seneca Landfill. Portable containers holding renewable CNG will be filled at Seneca Landfill then transported to businesses throughout Western Pennsylvania to supply companies using CNG vehicles.
Secretary McDonnell and his staff were also given a quick tour of the entire landfill facility including the landfill's working face, capping systems, High BTU Processing Plant, and some of the technology used to maximize gas production.
"It was a pleasure hosting Secretary McDonnell and his staff here at Seneca Landfill to show them our renewable energy projects and how the AFIG program is working to improve the reduction in emissions and is having a positive impact on the environment and the community," said Ed Vogel.