CAMPAIGNS
MTBE
(methyl tertiary-butyl ether) Pollution in Drinking
Water
CLEAN
WATER VICTORY! Due to public opposition
of MTBE groundwater pollution, the federal oxygenate
requirement was allowed to sunset on May 5, 2006—marking
the end of MTBE in gasoline across the nation!
A
Brief Timeline of CCE action on MTBE
- May 5, 2006, Gasoline sold in US is MTBE free!
The federal oxygenate requirement sunsets.
- August
19, 2005, New Jersey becomes 25th state to ban
MTBE.
- 2005, CCE called upon New Jersey to ban this
toxic chemical from gasoline supplies to effectively
ban the additive in the entire tri-state area.
- January 2004, MTBE is banned from the gasoline
mixture sold in New York or Connecticut
- In 2000 CCE successfully advocated for New York
State and Connecticut to remove MTBE from gasoline
over a four-year phase out.
- Since
1999, CCE has been urging states to respond
to the growing threat to drinking water from
the gasoline additive MTBE.
What
is MTBE? Many are now aware of the water-polluting
chemical MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) and its
rapidly growing threat to the quality of drinking water
supplies in Northeast and throughout the nation. MTBE
has historically been used as a fuel additive to make
gasoline combust more efficiently and completely, with
the intent of reducing tailpipe emissions. The transportation,
handling and storage of gasoline has led to thousands
of documented spill sites across New York, Connecticut,
New Jersey and the nation which can contaminate soils,
groundwater, surface and coastal waters.
MTBE
is Problematic: Classified by the EPA
as a possible carcinogen, MTBE is just one
of many contaminants in the mixture of toxic chemicals
known as gasoline. However, unlike gasoline's other
ingredients, MTBE dissolves easily in water, and the
microorganisms that feed on and break down petroleum
products tend to avoid MTBE. When a spill or leak occurs,
MTBE separates itself from the other fuel components
and moves away from the spill site with water flow.
These qualities make MTBE very difficult and costly
to clean up, and explain why MTBE is being detected
in drinking water supplies so quickly. MTBE is particularly
problematic in areas such as northern New Jersey that
are dependent on groundwater wells for drinking water.
Click
here to view CCE's comments submitted to the New York
State Department of Health on the MTBE Maximum Contaminant
Level for Public Water Systems in New York State, October
7, 2003
NEW
JERSEY BECOMES 25TH STATE TO BAN MTBE
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: A Major Source of MTBE Contamination
With
a stroke of the pen by Acting Governor Codey of New
Jersey, there are now a majority of states in the Continental
U.S. with an MTBE ban on their books. Due to this fact,
as well as the failure of MTBE lobbyists to get a loophole
into the federal law to exempt them from responsibility
for the deleterious effects of MTBE, some major manufacturers
of MTBE have begun scaling back - and even completely
eliminating - MTBE production. CCE continues to fight
to protect the public and ecosystem from this dangerous
substance at the state, local and federal levels of
government.
Click
here for a special series of articles from The Times
Union about the MTBE problem in New York State.
For
more information about CCE's work on MTBE, contact our
Farmingdale office at
show
email address or call us at 516-390-7150.
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