ENVIRONMENT

Natural Gas-Powered Trucks Approved: Two pickup trucks converted to natural gas fuel by a joint venture that includes Southern California Gas Co. have become the first vehicles in the nation to be certified under the stiffest existing pollution control guidelines of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The trucks are the first to qualify under the EPA’s Inherently Low Emission Vehicle standards for fleets, which take effect in 1998. Ecotrans Vehicle Industries Inc., which will begin production at an East Los Angeles assembly plant in February, is primarily funded by the utility. The other partners--PAS Inc., a specialty vehicle manufacturer based near Detroit, and 4E Technologies Inc. of Los Angeles--will produce and market the trucks.