AUGUSTA – The Department of Environmental Protection has given its environmentally friendly stamp of approval to more than a dozen gas stations in the state.

The DEP earlier this month listed 13 Dead River gas stations and a privately owned station as “Environmental Leaders.” The three-year certification is given after the DEP ensures a station meets or exceeds all environmental requirements.

None of the gas stations on the 2003 list applied for certification for the first time this year, but several of the businesses will reapply for certification in 2004, according to Roy Krout, DEP program manager.

Krout said Wednesday the Environmental Leader program was created in 1997 as a way for gas stations to demonstrate their 100 percent compliance with environmental regulations and, in particular, air quality regulations. Once a gas station is certified as an environmental leader, it is eligible to display program logos, decals and a 3-foot by 5-foot Environmental Leader flag.

Krout said the program not only ensures reduced air emissions, better compliance and better containment of fuel, but also increases public awareness of a business that is environmentally friendly.

“They [consumers] will know that the place where they are purchasing their fuel is interested in environmental performance and is trying to set as high a standard as possible,” Krout said.

Phil Bouchard, northern area supervisor for Dead River, said Monday that getting certification for the stations was important.

“Our reasons for doing this are twofold. One reason is we’re protecting our investment, and two, customers see this as a company who cares about their products,” he said. “This lets people know that Dead River is doing everything it can to follow state procedures and to provide the best services we can to our customers and to the environment by protecting it.”

Leslie Anderson, company safety director for Dead River, said on Monday that the company works hard to be an environmental leader in the industry. Thirteen of its 17 stations are certified as Environmental Leaders.

“We’re the only big company out there trying to get our stations certified,” Anderson said. “It’s a really good program and it’s good for the environment.”

Krout said Irving Oil Corp. was certified in the past as an environmental leader, but has not recertified. He said he could not explain why the companies chose not to recertify because their certification expired before he became program manager.

Krout said he has had interest from other businesses hoping to certify next year.

Gas stations on this year’s list include Dead River stations in Belfast, Brunswick, Gray, Mexico, Millinocket, Norway, Presque Isle, Rockport, Southwest Harbor, two stations each in Augusta and Houlton, and St. Peter’s Country Store in Guerrette.