The town of Brookhaven, N.Y., has reached a 10-year agreement with Clean Energy Fuels, Seal Beach, Calif., to convert its fleet of 75 waste trucks to compressed natural gas (CNG). Clean energy will build and operate a CNG facility on a 1.25-acre site at the town’s landfill. The facility is expected to open in January 2009.

“Brookhaven becomes the newest municipality on Long Island to adopt a clean waste management strategy by requiring the use of CNG trucks by its carters,” said Andrew Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy, in a press release. “We are pleased to assist Brookhaven implement its health and environmental goals for its citizens, and also to reduce costs over time through the use of less expensive natural gas fuel.”

According to a press release, over the first seven years, Brookhaven estimates that the switch to CNG will displace 4.9 million gallons of imported diesel fuel, reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 304 tons and particulate matter by 12 tons, and reduce greenhouse gases by over 20 percent.