This is one that I have been watching closely - whether the interests of MTBE manufacturers (many located in Delay's (R - $$) district.
As reported tonight in the Boston Globe:
WASHINGTON --House and Senate conferees abandoned giving makers of the gasoline additive MTBE liability protection against environmental lawsuits on Sunday, removing the major roadblock to enactment of broad energy legislation.
Why is this important? See the flip.
MTBE is used in gasoline as an additive that enhances octane to keep the engine from "knocking" or predetonating. Predetonation is bad for engines and causes premature wear and irreversble damage to the cylinders and connecting rods. Lead was used but was banned after EPA findings that showed elevated lead levels in blood of urban children. So this additive which was previously used in the manufacture of gasoline was
discovered to be a viable oxygenate that lowered hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions. But as the cite says - the law of unintended consequenses came into play.
Lowering HC and CO emissions is a good thing, so by adding MTBE to gasonline, reducing air pollution was a desirable result. But what wasn't realized at the time was that the inventory of underground storage tanks (UST) were largely made of single wall, metal containers. These (naturally) began to deteriorate and leak. Unfortunately, MTBE is easily dissolvable in water and moves quickly and easily if leaked into the ground. at very small concentrations (<20ppb) it can contaminate ground water and render it undrinkable (turpentine like taste and smell) and is a known carcinogen. Clean up of this largely ignored problem could reach into the billions of dollars.
So what does Delay (R - ExxonMobil) and the House do about this insidious problem? Perhaps the right thing and force the manufacturers to be involved in the cost of clean up as they have racked up record profits and since they aren't investing in extra capacity and don't know what to do with the extra cash, right?
No, Delay and Co. refused to budge on protecting MTBE maufacturers
The MTBE provision has been a top priority of Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Rep. Joe Barton, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, who argue that Congress endorsed the widespread use of the additive when it required gasoline contain an oxygenate to help clean up the air.
Both are from Texas where major MTBE manufacturers are located.
Makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, right? At least the Senate had the foresight to not let this gratuitous piece of protectionism stay in the reconciled bill and held firm.
So we can rest a little easier knowing that the manufacturers of MTBE have liability for contanimation of ground water are still on the hook...
...for now.