Director of Commerce Gary C. Suhadolnik announced today the continuation of the Green Buckeye Award program. The Green Buckeye Award is a sticker that is placed on gas pumps to help consumers identify stations that are in compliance with environmental laws governing underground storage tanks.

"The Green Buckeye sticker helps to make consumers aware of gas stations that comply with state and federal underground storage tank laws," said Director Suhadolnik. "Environmentally conscientious consumers will have a readily identifiable sticker to look for when they pull up next to a gas pump."

The new Green Buckeye Award Stickers are for the years 1999 and 2000, and will render obsolete the 1997/1998 stickers issued when the program first started in August 1997. In order to receive a sticker, all tanks at a facility must meet 1998 tank standards, including spill, overfill and corrosion protection, as well as employ approved leak detection methods. They must also be registered with the Commerce Department's Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulation, and be paying into a state insurance fund that provides financial coverage for corrective action in the event of a release. Additionally, proper corrective action steps must be taking place for any current releases at the facility.

Based on the belief that most consumers would rather support environmentally sound businesses, the Green Buckeye rewards owners that have made investments to upgrade tanks.

"The Ohio petroleum industry believes that the Green Buckeye Program is an innovative initiative that recognizes those service stations that have spent the time and money to comply with the underground storage tank laws," said Roger Dreyer, president of the Ohio Petroleum Marketers Association.

During his noontime speech to the Ohio Petroleum Marketers convention, Director Suhadolnik also presented the first updated sticker to Jeff Lykins of Lykins Oil Company in Milford. Director Suhadolnik also announced that a radio public service announcement is being sent to radio stations across Ohio to help bolster public awareness of the award.

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The Department of Commerce enforces numerous regulations including those regarding industrial compliance, fire codes, financial institutions, securities, real estate, auctioneers, and unclaimed funds, and liquor control.www.com.state.oh.us