MTBE (methyl-tertiary butyl ether)

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MTBE(methyl-tertiary butyl ether)

• Sarah Lilley
• ES 333

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History of MTBE

• First introduced in 1979
• Used as an oxygenate to curb lead emissions
• Wide-spread use following CAA of 1990
• Reduced ground-ozone and cancer risk due to
  automobile emissions
• Easily produced
• Cheaper than alternatives, such as ethanol

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The Issue

• Found to contaminate groundwater as early as 1980
• Doesnt adhere to soil particles
• Easily soluble in water, difficult to remove
• Main leak source underground storage tanks
• Contaminated water tastes like turpentine
• States which once had high levels of air
  pollution now had high levels of water
  contamination
• Cleanup is estimated at 29 billion

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Advocates
Opponents

• Oil companies and their lobbyists
• Oil-state politicians
• Republicans

• Environmental groups and their lobbyists
• Corn-state politicians
• Democrats

Whos Responsible for Cleanup?

• Government for requiring the use of oxygenates
  
• in gasoline?
• Oil Companies for using MTBE since it was
  cheap and easy to produce, rather than
  investigating alternatives?

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Energy Policy Act of 2005

• Sponsored by Joe Barton, R-TX, with co-sponsors
  Richard Pombo, R-CA, and William Thomas, R-CA
• Congress is aware that it authorized use of MTBE,
  knowing it to be a water contaminant
• Congress recognizes the problem of MTBE
  contamination and the need for change
• Offers assistance to oil companies to make switch
  from MTBE to other additives