News Release (C-20-98)

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For Immediate Release (C-20-98) Contact: Communications Office (916) 324-9670 October 22, 1998

Cal/EPA and California Energy Commission Summarize Past and Current Documents Surrounding Use of MTBE as a Gasoline Additive

Attention: A press availability via conference call is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. (PST) today. Media should dial 1(888) 422-7105 then enter code 434912 do not use hold feature. Peter M. Rooney, Secretary for Environmental Protection and other agency representatives will be available for questions.

SACRAMENTO – California’s environmental, energy and public health agencies today released several reports regarding steps to ensure protection of the state’s drinking water supply from contamination by methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and other gasoline and gas additives.

Taken together, the reports indicate that while MTBE contamination is an ongoing concern, several steps are in place to prevent further pollution, clean up existing problem areas, and develop alternatives that will not jeopardize the state’s economy or progress in attaining federal clean air standards.

"We are making progress on this issue through cleanup and ‘zero tolerance’ prevention programs for gasoline in water, but we still need the federal government to wake up and smell the MTBE and give us the flexibility to clean our air in the safest ways possible," said Secretary for Environmental Protection, Peter M. Rooney.

Reports issued Friday include:

A California Energy Commission report on supply and costs of alternatives to MTBE in gasoline, which determined that phasing out MTBE can be accomplished at relatively low cost to consumers, if done over time. The report also concludes that the most cost effective alternatives are already allowed under California’s existing clean fuel regulations, but would require changes to federal law as recently authored by Senator Diane Feinstein (S575), and Congressman Brian Bilbray (HR630).

A California Energy Commission report on attainment goals for replacement and upgrade of Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) which indicates that consumers will have uninterrupted access to gasoline supplies as the state nears the federal deadline to replace all uncertified USTs by the end of the year;

The California Environmental Protection Agency’s State Water Resources Control Board Status Report on attainment of Federal compliance standards for upgrading underground storage tanks by December 22, 1998 which finds that, despite an overall compliance rate of 52 percent, the preponderance of remaining tanks are non-retail and there is not expected to be a critical supply problem for consumers.

Cal/EPA’s Air Resources Board staff report to consider new emissions control regulations for marine engines (primarily two-stroke engines such as jet ski’s and boat motors), which will benefit not only air quality but also surface water pollution from excessive gasoline and oil.

In response to public concern regarding MTBE, Governor Wilson signed legislation in October of 1997 to require the following actions:

AB 592 (Kuehl) – Allows the State Water Resources Control Board to fund up to $5 million dollars to reimburse public drinking water systems or provide alternate sources of drinking water contaminated by an oxygenate leaked from a UST; requires SWRCB and Department of Health Services at least once every two years to determine the identity of pipelines located within a thousand feet of a public drinking water well. It also requires preparation of a pipeline wellhead protection plan for the approval of the State Fire Marshall; and calls for DHS to establish primary and secondary drinking water standards for MTBE.

SB 521 (Mountjoy) – Requires a specified study and assessment of the human health and environmental risks and benefits if any of MTBE be submitted to the Governor who will then take prescribed actions.

SB 1189 (Hayden) – Requires the State Water Resources Control Board to establish a GIS Mapping and Data Management Advisory Committee with the Santa Monica Groundwater Project and Santa Clara Groundwater Project as pilots.

The Governor also signed SB 2198 (Sher) from the 1998 legislative session, which provided $20 million dollars to assist communities with MTBE cleanup.

Governor Wilson also today sent a letter to Carol Browner, Administrator U.S. EPA outlining concerns and actions by California to address the MTBE issues. Moreover, he called upon the Administrator to join with the vast majority of the California delegation in a bi-partisan effort to give California refiners flexibility to meet California’s strict clean fuels requirements. He specifically requested U.S EPA’s to re-examine their opposition to H.R. 630 (Bilbray) and it’s companion S. 1576 (Feinstein) to create the necessary flexibility.

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