Editorial update: MTBE/oxygenate waiver returns (NH may get one soon, How about CA?)

OC Register ^ | 2/1/04 | Op/Ed

[NormsRevenge]

Remember the federal oxygenate mandate that gave us the troublesome gasoline additive, MTBE?

Gov. Davis tried to get a waiver from the mandate, but the alternative to MTBE is ethanol, produced from corn squeezin's from Iowa, which looks more winnable for President Bush than California. Or perhaps it's just coincidence or partisanship (surely not science) that led to the waiver request being rejected.

[Abcdefg]

Whatever MTBE is about, it ain't clean air.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Whatever MTBE is about, it ain't clean air.

...or clean water.

[raybbr]

There used to be a site called Oxybusters.com. It explained in detail all the things wrong with MTBE. It turns out that MTBE is a by-product of gasoline production. The oil companies were able to convince the feds that if they put it back into the gas it would burn cleaner. They never did any testing to see what would happen to the stuff. It doesn't burn and the leftover MTBE is a carcinogen and contaminates the water supply. It also does not bio-degrade.

[raybbr]

Check this out.

[leprechaun9]

Conveniently, it also lowers fuel efficiency (for older cars), therefore sell more gas and more tax revenues. This is while claiming it would clean the air.

I did a little study about eight years ago by looking at the sale of gasoline on a month by month basis. I selected five states that mandated MTBE for the winter months and five states that did not require it.

The states that required MTBE showed an increase in gasoline taxes for the required period while the states that did not require it remained static.

[hadaclueonce]

when I lived in Dallas, I saw a drop of 15% in gas mileage when the started MTBE.
Ozone days went up, it is bad science.
The farmers wanted to make a market for "corn based" fuel additive, and the oil companies created MTBE.
MTBE, even ENRON traded that crap...enough said...

[raybbr]

Here in CT. the incidences of asthma went up 600% within a year after introduction of MTBE. It is a health hazard.

[Abcdefg]

For another view, from Ed Wallace, check this out:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/classifieds/automotive/7132715.htm