Bill Bans MTBE, Promotes Ethanol

May 12, 2000

A bill has been introduced in the Senate to ban the use of MTBE as a gasoline additive and promote the use of corn-based ethanol instead. MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) would be eliminated in three years and the oxygenate standard of the reformulated gasoline program would be made permanent.

Sens. Kit Bond (R-MO) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the bill. It would preserve the air quality improvements made under the Clean Air Act by incorporating anti-backsliding provisions. It also would allow a temporary waiver from the oxygenate standard to be granted if USDA and the Department of Energy certify that supply is inadequate.

Also signing onto the bill was Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL). He said the ultimate decision about how to phase out MTBE could have a major impact, either positive or negative, on Illinois corn farmers since the state is the top producer of ethanol.

Replacing MTBE with ethanol in the reformulated gasoline would provide a ‘huge boost" to the state’s agriculture, he said, while ending the oxygenate requirement could damage many farmers who depend on a strong ethanol industry.