T. Boone Pickens Discusses Future of Natural Gas in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippi is looking toward a future with natural gas fueling stations.

Billionaire and alternative energy guru T. Boone Pickens met with Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant yesterday to discuss the state's energy future, reported SunHerald.com. A press conference to discuss that future was scheduled for today.

One of the topics on yesterday's agenda was the opening of natural gas fueling stations. "The first of these stations are going to be at WastePro fueling stations on the [Mississippi] coast," state Rep. Hank Zuber told the news outlet. "It is my understanding they will be open to the public as well, once people get vehicles to run on natural gas."

In the past, Bryant has called for state-owned vehicles to run on compressed natural gas (CNG). CNG has often been touted as locally produced, abundant, cleaner-burning and less expensive than traditional petroleum.

Several convenience stores already offer or plan to offer CNG fueling stations. Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores and OnCue Express already sell the fuel alternative. And as CSNews Online reported last week, a Chesapeake Energy Corp. presentation revealed that 7-Eleven, Murphy USA, Gulf, Valero, Stripes, QuikTrip, Kum & Go, Wawa, Giant Eagle, Sheetz and Dandy Mini Mart plan to offer CNG soon.