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Re: The Politics of MTBE

I agree. Hopefully, congress will soon pass the bill that either outlaws 
MTBE, or gives refiners the flexibility to formulate their own blends 
while only meeting an emission standard.. That is the push we need...Tim

>Date: Thu, 06 Aug 1998 18:32:12 -0400
>From: Lowell Seaton <[email protected]>
>Subject: The Politics of MTBE
>To: [email protected]
>Cc: [email protected]
>
>I'll make a rare post under my employer's e-mail address.  Yes, I work 
for
>the EPA.  Does everybody hate me now?  ; >
>
>First, I want to thank Tim for an excellent synopsis on MTBE and CARB. 
>He is absolutely correct.
>
>Tim writes:
>
>"The State of California and/or CARB does NOT, repeat, DOES NOT
>require the use of MTBE OR ANY OTHER OXYGENATE.  Refiners are
>free to use whatever they want (there are SEVERAL additives they can
>use) as long as they meet emission standards (tailpipe, evap, etc.). 
>HOWEVER, the FEDERAL government REQUIRES the use of an
>"oxygenate" in our (CA) fuels to lower emissions.  They do NOT require
>the use of MTBE nor does ANY government body in the nation."
>--------
>You can substitute EPA for FEDERAL <g>  Or maybe Congress. 
>Congress passed the Clean Air Act and EPA implemented the
>requirements.  And yes, one of the requirements is reformulated 
gasoline
>in many areas of the country.  OXYGENATED gasoline is similar but not
>exactly the same as REFORMULATED gasoline.  Oxygenated fuel was
>originally used in the winter in mostly high attitude locations.  It 
reduced
>winter time air pollution, CO I think.  It was used/required for 
several
>years before reformulated gasoline was required.  I don't think pure
>oxygenated fuel is used any more.  Reformulated gas is now used year
>round.
>
>MTBE is used in reformulated gasoline because it is the cheapest.  The
>EPA did try to require oil companies to use a certain percentage of
>ethanol fuel.  Politics perhaps?  You have to remember there is a 
strong
>farm lobby from the Midwestern states' Senators/Congressmen and I am
>sure ADM does its share of lobbying too.  Anyway, the EPA was sued
>by the oil companies and the MTBE producers.  EPA lost.  So, EPA can
>not mandate ethanol or MTBE usage.  EPA simply requires the fuel to
>meet certain oxygenated standards and the oil companies are free to
>choose how they comply.
>
>Tim writes:
>
>"The problem with MTBE, as many of you know, is that it is EXTREMELY 
>difficult to remove from groundwater, soil, etc.  This was not known 
>before its introduction.  BTW, MTBE has been in California fuels for 
>nearly 20 YEARS!  It is not a new additive....Most of the flame war was 
>brought on by the press when CA used MTBE "year-round" instead of
>just in it's "winter fuels".  
>---------
>Since 1979 - nearly 20 years by my calculation!
>
><snip>
>
>Tim writes:
>
>"Another problem is leaking underground storage tanks.  Although this 
is 
>not my area of expertise, I believe all UST's are to be replaced with 
>double walled tanks with leak detection by the end of the year (that's 
>why many of you Californian's are seeing closed gas stations with big 
>holes in the ground)."
>----------
>HUGE problem.  Oil refineries in California are spending millions of 
dollars
>to clean up their sites.  Sadly true about gas stations closing.  There 
may
>never again be many "Mom & Pop" corner gas stations.  EPA requires
>expensive double lined tanks and liability insurance coverage in case 
of
>a spill.  Most small gas stations don't have the money to buy the
>insurance.  My parents live in a rural part of Iowa.  There is only one
>place to buy gas in the whole county.  And it closes at 5:00 pm.  I 
almost
>ran out of gas one night driving home to my parents.  I had to drive 25
>miles out of my way to the nearest "big" town for gas.  Living in 
Dallas, I
>forget gas is not available 24 hours-a-day and on every street corner 
in
>rural areas.
>
>Tim writes:
>
>"The main point I am trying to get across is that the refiners decide 
on 
>what to use, CARB gave them that flexibility.  Although the federal 
>govt. requires an "oxygenate" to be used, the refiners have several to 
>choose from.  MTBE was simply the cheapest and most readily
>available."
>-----------
>I agree.
>
>No flames please, I am just trying to "clear the air" (sorry for the 
>pun).
>---------
>I like your pun :)
>
>But I don't like MTBE either.  I would love to see a better solution 
than
>using MTBE.  I want cleaner air and I know everybody else does too. 
>Unfortunately, there is a price to pay.  I don't have an easy answer.
>
>I am hoping that MTBE will be phased out soon.   I learned that MTBE is
>really only effective at reducing pollution in older cars without 
oxygen
>sensors and computerized engine management.  That really means just
>old carbureted cars.  Virtually every well tuned fuel injected car gets 
no
>improvement.  So we are paying the price for the few old carbureted
>cars left on the roads.
>
>I hate the smell of MTBE gas and it cuts my gas mileage by 10-15%,
>contrary to EPA's own reports of a 1-2% loss in fuel economy.  I used 
to
>always fill my car up outside of Dallas when I traveled until somebody 
on
>the Digest called me a hypocrite.
>
>Don't flame me!  Write your Congressmen!  See you on the Digest,
>
>Lowell Seaton
>'95 M3
>BMWCCA #131505
>Dallas, Texas
>Lone Star Chapter
>


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