Republic Services, Inc, 2nd largest garbage collection company in the US, just announced that it has signed a new partnership agreement with T. Boone Pickens’ Clean Energy Fuels Corporation. Under the terms of the contract, Clean Energy Fuels will build and maintain a compressed natural gas fueling system for the CNG-powered fleet that Clean Energy Republic Services is planning to roll out in Idaho.

In a company press release, executives from both companies commented on the deal:

“The use of these clean-burning CNG trucks as replacements for our older diesel models aligns with the City of Boise’s strategic plan to combat climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure air quality improvements,” said Dave Fisher, Republic’s Boise general manager. “CNG has proven to be cleaner burning than gasoline or diesel fuel, significantly lowering harmful emissions like nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, toxic pollutants and greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.”

Fisher added, “We also believe that natural gas fuel, because it is a domestic resource, is a positive move for the country which will help us reduce our dependence on imported foreign oil.”

Ray Burke, Clean Energy Vice President, said, “We congratulate both the City of Boise and Republic for their demonstrated commitment to environmental quality and their choice of clean-burning CNG trucks to provide refuse services to their citizens. We are proud to work with them to support the first CNG-powered trash truck fleet in Idaho, and believe that this can serve as a model for implementing clean refuse collection policies in cities throughout Idaho.”