Last week, I found myself becoming angry at certain Congresspersons who were displayed on my television. It seems that the omnibus energy bill includes language protecting makers of the gasoline additive MTBE from lawsuits with regard to groundwater contamination, and this has some of our elected officials on the warpath. Apparently, they care more for their trial lawyer friends than they do for logic.
'Yesterday,' Kim du Toit blogged about the matter, thus reminding me that I, too, am a blogger. I needn't settle for hurling objectionable phrases at my TV.
For my research, I went right to the source. From the EPA website:
MTBE has been used in U.S. gasoline at low levels since 1979 to replace lead as an octane enhancer (helps prevent the engine from "knocking"). Since 1992, MTBE has been used at higher concentrations in some gasoline to fulfill the oxygenate requirements set by Congress in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. (A few cities, such as Denver, used oxygenates (MTBE) at higher concentrations during the wintertime in the late 1980's.) Oxygen helps gasoline burn more completely, reducing harmful tailpipe emissions from motor vehicles. In one respect, the oxygen dilutes or displaces gasoline components such as aromatics (e.g., benzene) and sulfur. In another, oxygen optimizes the oxidation during combustion. Most refiners have chosen to use MTBE over other oxygenates primarily for its blending characteristics and for economic reasons.
[snip]
Unlike ethanol, MTBE can be shipped through existing pipelines, and its volatility is lower, making it easier to meet the emission standards.
The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 specifically require oxygenated molecules to be added to gasoline in "areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution," resulting in reformulated gasoline (RFG). Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) is the compound used to satisfy this requirement for 87% of RFG, according to the page referenced.
This stuff has been in our gas since 1979. The amounts of it used were increased drastically in the 1990's, in direct response to Federal environmental legislation. And the makers of MTBE aren't even the people who spilled it. Perhaps, then, these so-called "leaders" could explain how suing the makers is remotely fair. Next thing you know, they'll want to sue gun manufacturers because of what someone did with the product. Oh, wait-- they already want to do that.
Well, at least I haven't heard about a lawsuit being brought against kitchen knife manufacturers, on account of involvement in a fatal stabbing. If that ever happens, I don't think I'll be able to retain my policy of not swearing on this site. No, not nearly.
Knowledge Problem links a comprehensive selection of articles with regard to the energy bill. Check it out, if my little tirade piqued your interest in this piece of legislation, which defines "omnibus" as an adjective for a bill with a lot of stuff in it.
Posted by Mitch at November 24, 2003 11:59 PMYes, I've noticed too, and have corrected a similar oversight on my site.
Posted by: Ptah at December 7, 2003 09:12 PM