NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Clean Energy Fuels Corp. celebrated the opening of the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) station in Mississippi with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Located within the Flying J Travel Plaza in Pearl, Miss., the station will support the fueling needs of Raven Transport’s 115 LNG heavy-duty trucks hauling goods for a leading consumer packaged goods (CPG) company.

Mississippi State Senator Dean Kirby (R) and State Representative Ray Rogers (R), who were integral to the station’s opening, attended the event.

“We’re pleased that LNG fueling stations now are offered at more than 60 Pilot Flying J locations,” said Pilot Flying J region manager Dave Mangialardi. “For us, that’s what it’s all about: making these resources available to our customers, because we’re committed to making life better for professional drivers. And as our partnership with Clean Energy continues to make LNG more accessible to drivers, they’ll be able to access natural gas from coast to coast.”

“We are pleased that America’s Natural Gas Highway comes right through our town of Pearl, but I look forward to seeing it expand throughout Mississippi,” said Kirby.

“The Pearl station opening brings together two key partnerships for Clean Energy,” said Mike Hendrixson, national account manager for Clean Energy Fuels. “Raven Transport is a recognized leader in transportation and Pilot Flying J is the largest operator of travel centers and plazas throughout the U.S. By bringing natural gas to these already established fueling centers, the transition to natural gas becomes seamless.”

Clean Energy Fuels is the leading provider of natural gas fuel for transportation in North America. It builds and operates compressed natural gas (CNG) and LNG fueling stations; manufactures CNG and LNG equipment and technologies for itself and other companies; develops renewable natural gas (RNG) production facilities; and delivers CNG, LNG and Redeem RNG fuel.

Pilot Flying J, the largest operator of travel centers and travel plazas in North America, is based in Knoxville, Tenn., and has more than 650 retail locations. Its network provides drivers with access to more than 70,000 parking spaces for trucks, 4,800 showers and more than 4,400 diesel lanes offering diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) at the pump.