A.G. Gancarski
On Wednesday afternoon on Heckscher Drive in Jacksonville, local dignitaries gathered for the grand opening and tour of the second public access compressed natural gas facility located at the GATE Convenience Store on Heckscher Drive.
Big names in attendance included former mayor John Peyton (whose family owns Gate Petroleum) and state Rep. Lake Ray, who has been a staunch advocate of alternative fuels in Tallahassee with Sen. Wilton Simpson.
In a news release before the event, Peyton said, “Adding a CNG fueling station is consistent with the GATE philosophy of being responsive to our customers’ fueling requirements. With proximity to the Port of Jacksonville and I-295, our first retail location is ideally positioned to service the needs of both the retail and commercial customers; while offering a cleaner, more environmentally friendly fuel alternative.”
GATE, with an electric vehicle charge station at its Town Center store, is a good fit for the expansion of the technology. There are 67 natural gas fueling stations in the state, with another 30 in construction or planning.
Alan Mosley, JAX Chamber vice president of Transportation and Logistics, referred to CNG stations as part of a “domestic energy revolution,” saying that Jacksonville is a logical fit for such.
“Miami is where they party, Orlando is where they play, but Jacksonville is where they work,” Mosley said, regarding the blue collar roots of the Bold New City of the South.
The location for this CNG station is advantageous, near I-295 and JAXPORT, which one speaker called an “ideal location.”
As well, a representative from the North Florida TPO noted that it’s part of a regional strategy, with CNG stations to come in St. Johns County on State Road 16.
