Penn State U. officials said they are beginning to formulate plans to switch to natural gas as a fuel source within five years.

Already, gas turbines have arrived at the university to increase the use of natural gas for east campus buildings, said PSU Office of Physical Plant spokesman Paul Ruskin.

These changes come amidst new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. The regulations — which will monitor the amount of air pollutants released by coal plants — will make the cost of burning coal rise, said Kim Teplitzky, Coal Campaign coordinator and Sierra Student Coalition leader.

Penn State Beyond Coal President Rose Monahan said she hopes the new rules prompt the university to switch to natural gas as a fuel source throughout campus.

The gas turbines will be installed this summer, but switching to natural gas on the west side of campus will be difficult, Ruskin said.

Making the switch comes with a $2 million price tag, he said — and that’s just one of the issues. College Avenue would need to be shut down to install a gas pipe for the plants, he said.

But using natural gases as a fuel will not only be better for the environment, but will also save the university money, Monahan said.

Coal scrubbers, which can cost up to $10 million annually, will need to be built to regulate the emissions, Monahan said. She said that — along with the benefit to the environment — is why switching to natural gas is the best option.

“The price of coal is going to be significantly higher,” Monahan, a PSU sophomore, said. “It just seems like the best option.”

The EPA is expected to release new regulations regarding carbon dioxide emissions in the near future, Ruskin said. And the new rules make it crucial for Penn State to take a look at energy sources, he said.

The university is examining how to develop a plan that will both meet the regulations and be most beneficial for the environment, Ruskin said.

“It’s a delicate balance,” he said. “Penn State is trying to find the right energy, at the right place, at the right time.”

But Monahan is hopeful the final decision is to go with natural gas.

“My personal prediction is that we do switch over to natural gas,” she said. “I think the trend we see across the country is more schools are going to stop burning coal.”

Teplitzky agreed the recently proposed rule is a great opportunity for Penn State to use natural resources. More regulations, which will make burning coal more costly, are in the near future, she said.