Pickens Visits West Chester University

T. Boone Pickens took his signature Pickens Plan to Pennsylvania last week where he was joined by two members of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation – Rep. Jim Gerlach and Rep. Pat Meehan – at West Chester University.

According to West Chester facilities director Greg Cuprak, 25 percent of the university’s fleet now runs on natural gas. The natural-gas conversions cost $8,000 per truck. Thanks to low-cost natural gas, however, fuel costs are $2 per gallon less than when using imported diesel.

“They plow snow fine and that’s the toughest thing you can do with a pickup truck,” said Larry Krackov, foreman of the university’s garage. “They really got a work out this winter.”

U.S. natural gas reserves are equal to approximately 700 million barrels of oil. That’s almost three times the estimated crude oil reserves in Saudi Arabia. Yet the U.S. has no energy plan, which is why Pickens supports H.R. 1380, which is cosponsored by Representatives Gerlach and Meehan.

“When we talk about energy issues, I believe it is a question of national security,” Rep. Meehean told local media. “I am concerned about the continued reliance on we have on foreign oil.”