ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

BANNING THE USE OF MTBE AS A FUEL ADDITIVE
BUT MAINTAINING THE OXYGENATE REQUIREMENT FOR GASOLINE

WHEREAS, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) is a synthetic chemical which has been used as an octane enhancer, lead substitute and more recently a vehicle emission reduction additive to gasoline in the United States since the late 1970s; and

WHEREAS, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 required urban areas that are in nonattainment for ozone to begin selling reformulated gasolines (RFG) designed to reduce emissions beginning in 1995. A main component of RFG is oxygen, which is added to gasoline primarily by two oxygenates -- MTBE and ethanol; and

WHEREAS, the RFG program has assisted many cities in non-attainment status for ozone to vastly improve their air quality; and

WHEREAS, however, MTBE has been known to contaminate large quantities of surface and ground water. In fact, one cup of MTBE, equal to the amount found in one gallon of gasoline oxygenated with MTBE, can contaminate an entire 5 million gallon well to the point of being undrinkable; and

WHEREAS, current remediation techniques to clean water contaminated with MTBE are both inadequate and extremely expensive; and

WHEREAS, many states are leading the charge to ban the use of reformulated fuels that contain MTBE due to water pollution concerns; and

WHEREAS, the White House announced earlier this year that MTBE should be banned and directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take steps in that direction; and

WHEREAS, Congress has introduced legislation in both the House and Senate to ban MTBE but to maintain the oxygenate requirement, which will allow cities to continue to achieve their air quality goals without causing environmental harm,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the United States Conference of Mayors hereby urges Congress to help cities with ozone concerns to improve their air quality and protect their water resources by enacting a ban on the use of MTBE in reformulated fuels but retaining the requirement for other more environmentally friendly oxygenates in fuel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the US Conference of Mayors hereby urges the Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to advance this legislation this year to help avoid further environmental damage from MTBE.