BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - Environmentalists are renewing efforts today to put a halt on the approval of natural gas transfer facilities after the fatal compressed natural gas truck accident in Fenton that took the life of 52-year-old driver Jeffrey Lind, and caused residences and schools to evacuate their homes on Monday. The accident was a reminder of what could have been if Vermont-based NG Advantage built a compressor station in the Town of Fenton.

Walter Hang, President of Toxics Targeting warned the public in 2017 of the potential hazards of having this station in Fenton.

"So if heaven forbid there was ever an incident at this proposed location, it could just create incredible chaos," Hang said in July 2017.

Today, Hang said yesterday's crash on I-88 could have been avoided if Governor Cuomo paid more attention to the warnings of the CNG truck transfer stations around New York State, and is once again, asking the governor to halt these types of facilities.

Monday's crash at Exit 2 forced 200 residents to evacuate and two school districts to cancel classes. Had NG Advantage built the transfer station, 50 trucks hauling compressed natural gas - just like the XNG tractor-trailer, would have been driving through Fenton each day.

Hang and other environmentalists say the number of fatalities and accidents in Upstate New York connected to CNG trucks keeps growing, and are calling on the governor to put a moratorium on these virtual pipelines.

"We documented that there were fires, we documented that homes had to be evacuated and we did this with the state’s own data,” said Hang.

Hang says these risks can be prevented if the state takes action.