Donora facility dedicated for fleet of compressed natural gas buses
Holly Tonini
A Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority employee demonstrates how the natural gas buses are fueled.
Holly Tonini
Donna Weckoski, executive director of Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority, welcomes everyone to the opening of the new bus storage facility and CNG fueling station for the authority on Tuesday.
Holly Tonini
Donora Mayor Don Pavelko talks about the use of compressed natural gas that will be used to power several buses for the Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority.
Holly Tonini
Washington County Comissioner Larry Maggi talks of the differences the Mon Valley and Donora have made around the world as the Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority begins to fuel several of their buses with compressed natural gas.
With the promise of a cleaner, safer energy source to fuel mass transit in the Mid Mon Valley, their fleet of eight “greener” buses officially has a new home.
“This is certainly going to be an asset to Donora. We’re opening the door to a new CNG fleet and opportunities for transit to grow,” said Fred Naccarato, Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority Board chairman.
On Tuesday morning, local authorities and representatives met at the new Donora-based bus storage facility and CNG fueling station to dedicate its grand opening.
MMVTA Executive Director Donna Weckoski addressed the crowd, reminding them that the very ground the updated garage sits on was the site of a former steel mill.
“It’s ironic,” Weckoski said. She talked of what locals know as the Donora Smog, which occurred 69 years ago.
“Smog hung over Donora for three days, caused by the cool fall nights and warm air from the Monongahela River, and emissions from the steel mill,” she said. “By the time it lifted, there were 20 people dead and many more ill.”
When Donora opened the smog museum in 2008, they led with the fact that “clean air started here,” she said.
“Today, I can proudly say that the MMVTA is once again bringing clean air to Donora, the entire Mon Valley area and beyond,” she added. “It will continue for many years to come.”
Weckoski also noted that longtime, beloved former Donora mayor John “Chummy” Lignelli was “smiling down with pride as we continue to move forward in a positive direction.”
The MMVTA is one of two local, public transportation authorities to receive compressed natural gas fueling stations this year, the other being the Westmoreland County Transit Authority.
The completed construction was done as part of the $84.5 million statewide P3 project designed by Trillium, according to a press release from the office of Gov. Tom Wolf. Trillium will also build, finance, operate and maintain the 29 fueling stations across the commonwealth.
A total of 24 buses and five paratransit buses will eventually be converting to CNG, which will save more than $150,000 each year based on current diesel costs and their diesel usage of roughly 185,000 gallons per year, they said.
The 35-foot commuter buses will seat 37, and are handicapped accessible.
A number of key construction projects had to be completed at the Donora facility before their operation and fueling could begin. The contracts were awarded to DiMarco Construction, Controlled Climate Systems, John Haughey & Sons and PITT Electric.
“The CNG improvements will boost MMVTA’s efficiency and improve operations brought by the new, energy-efficient facility that renovated a former steel-mill building into a facility for bus storage, light bus maintenance, administrative activities and vehicle dispatching, as well as a passenger waiting area and a park-and-ride lot,” the press release stated.
Officials also indicated that the facility was made possible with nearly $4.3 million in federal funds, more than $525,000 in state investments and $150,000 in local funds.
“This P3 is helping transit agencies reduce costs and use resources available in our own backyard,” Governor Wolf stated in the release. “I’m pleased to see the great progress we’re making in bringing these benefits to every corner of the state.”
Washington County commissioner Larry Maggi addressed the crowd, noting the day’s importance in history, with many young men from the Mon Valley area traveling overseas and being a part of the Invasion of Normandy.
“I can’t help but think about what this valley has done for the community, the state and our country,” Maggi said. “Seventy-three years ago today, about 100,000 young men, a lot from the valley, hit the beaches of Normandy. A lot were from the mighty Mon Valley. Think about what Donora and the valley has given to the country.”
“It’s so appropriate that we’re here with what we’ve been trying to do for a long time now.”
Maggi said we’ve entered into a new era — leaving behind the steel industry and going into the technology age.
“It’s what’s going on in the future,” he said. “We need to capitalize on natural gas.”