EPA Applauds MTBE Phaseout Bill

September 11, 2000

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol Browner has commended the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for taking action to phase out the use of the fuel additive MTBE, or methyl tertiary-butyl ether, from cleaner-burning gasoline. In June 1999, an EPA blue ribbon panel concluded that MTBE posed risks to drinking water.

"At that time we first called on Congress to take immediate action to phase out MTBE, while preserving important renewable fuel additives, such as ethanol. Since then, EPA has also begun regulatory action to eliminate MTBE from gasoline. But action by Congress clearly is the best and fastest way to address this threat,"said Browner.

The National Corn Growers Association also praised the committee. "On the day when world crude oil prices hit their highest level in 10 years, consumers will benefit from the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee's passage of legislation establishing a Clean Alternative Fuels Program," the NCGA said. NCGA also praised the committee for its ban of MTBE, which has been a major source of groundwater pollution.

NCGA President Lynn Jensen added. "The Committee's creation of a Clean Alternative Fuels Program will help free consumers - and our national security - from being held hostage by OPEC oil states. It would reduce U.S. demand for foreign oil by the same amount that we import from Iraq every day. Indeed, the more our nation switches from foreign-made fossil fuels to U.S.-made renewable fuels like ethanol, the lower prices will be, the more jobs Americans will have, the stronger our economy will be, the cleaner our environment will be and the greater our security will be."

"The Committee also took an important step forward in protecting the water we drink by voting to ban MTBE in four years," Jensen commented. "This should encourage oil refiners and gasoline blenders to switch to clean-burning ethanol - the alternative fuel best suited to improving our air quality and keeping our drinking water safe."

At the same time, however, NCGA expressed concern that the bill does not have stronger environmental "anti-backsliding" provisions. "The bottom line here must be results - cleaner, healthier air for all Americans," Jensen said. "The increased flexibility provided by this legislation must be accompanied by full accountability. The clean air standards achieved by oxygenates should be restored in any subsequent action on S. 2962."