The clock is ticking for the Butler Transit Authority to secure a plan to have compressed natural gas buses by this fall.

The authority received a letter from the Federal Transit Administration, dated Feb. 28, stating that the authority must provide a plan that declares when it will be ordering five CNG buses and how much money it will spend before Sept. 30.

Authority Executive Director John Paul said at Thursday’s monthly meeting that the authority has until March 28 to provide a plan.

The authority, in turn, is waiting on PennDOT to release $634,895 that was approved under former Gov. Tom Corbett, so the authority can detail its plan to the FTA.

The FTA also is kicking in $2.6 million.

“This is the end of the road,” Paul said. “If we don’t get this, the buses go away, the commuter services (to Pittsburgh) go away.”

Paul said the authority has reached out to PennDOT regarding the FTA’s letter and is awaiting a response. He said he is hopeful the match funds will be released and the authority will be able to proceed as planned.

A motion passed at Thursday’s meeting for the authority to ask the FTA for permission to use money from Pittsburgh urbanized area’s census data in the amount of $287,026.

If the FTA grants permission to use the money, Paul said, then the authority would purchase CNG buses with GPS equipment, fare boxes and cameras.

If the FTA denies permission to use the money, the authority would purchase the buses without that equipment and apply for three separate grants from PennDOT to purchase the GPS equipment, fare boxes and cameras.

Numerous motions were passed to begin construction on the CNG fueling stations in Butler Township, which Paul said should be ready by September or October.

A motion was passed to pay Guy’s Mechanical Systems $762,800 for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, while a separate motion was passed to pay $243,000 to IE Power for electrical work.

A third motion was passed to pay Thomas Construction about $1.1 million for general construction.

“That brings the maintenance and storage in compliance with storing CNG vehicles,” Paul said.