BOSTON - This year's recipients of NGV Achievement Awards include Verizon, Choice Environmental Services and the Los Angeles Unified School District. The annual awards, presented by NGVAmerica and the Clean Vehicle Education Foundation, recognize achievement in advancing development of natural gas vehicles in the U.S.

Other winners are Oklahoma Speaker of the House Chris Benge, Republic Services Inc. Vice President of Operations Support Joseph Noorlag, and National Grid Manager of Product Management-Transportation Ron Gulmi.

The awards were presented at the Natural Gas Vehicle Summit-Conference on Aug. 13 in Boston. This is the 18th year for the awards.

The awards recognized these achievements:

• Verizon added 501 CNG cargo vans to its fleet of vehicles in 2010.

• Choice Environmental Services, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., launched a natural gas-powered fleet of 11 refuse trucks.

• With the help of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the Los Angeles Unified School District purchased 260 new natural gas-powered school buses. The school district operates the largest fleet of natural gas school buses in the country.

• Oklahoma Rep. Benge championed the Oklahoma Energy Security Act, which establishes the goal of having at least one public CNG station every 100 miles by 2015.

• Republic's Noorlag oversaw the deployment of 226 refuse vehicles at 10 facilities, from California to Washington. Republic, based in Phoenix, is a leading provider of services in the domestic solid waste industry. The company provides services through 400 collection companies in 40 states and Puerto Rico. Republic operates 242 transfer stations, 213 solid waste landfills and 78 recycling centers.

• National Grid's Ron Gulmi has worked to advance the growth of natural gas vehicles throughout the Northeast. National Grid is an international electricity and gas company with U.S. offices in New York. National Grid transports natural gas to more than 3.4 million customers in New England and New York.