--part1_b4f78090.243de03f_boundary
In a message dated 04/07/99 02:42:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time,=20
stellacapp@earthlink.net writes:
<<=20
Letter to "Hemmings Motor News"
=20
Stella Pyrtek-Blond is head of Public Relations for Clean Air
Performance Professionals (CAPP). For information about CAPP, and a
subscription to the CAPP Newsletter, contact: CAPP, 84 Hoy Avenue,
Fords, NJ 08863. (732) 738-7859; Fax: (732) 738-7625;
"stellacapp@earthlink.net"
=20
"MTBE BAN in California" =97 May 1999
=20
=20
In a recent L.A. Times column "Wide World of Weird". Authorities are
blaming dog feces for contributing to Mexico City's infamous air
pollution and health risks and are appealing to pet owners for help to
scoop up 120,000 yearly tons of feces dropped by the city's 1.2 million
dogs. (Dog Smog?)
=20
=20
On March 16, the Sacramento "Bee" published an in-depth article: "MTBE
Risk to Drinking Water Was Known for Years --- America's fuel industry
knew about the risk to drinking water from MTBE years before domestic
refineries more than doubled the chemical's volume in gasoline, but
manufacturers marketed the product as an environmental improvement
anyway. In technical papers and conference presentations, environmental
engineers for refineries and government regulators alike predicted that
MTBE could become a lingering groundwater menace as its usage increased=85
As early as 1980, MTBE was found in Rockaway, NJ ground-water near a
Shell service station. In 1986, Maine environmental officials warn of
MTBE's threat to drinking water at a Houston Conference. 1992:
Refineries introduce a winter-time gasoline with oxygenates like MTBE up
to 11 percent by volume for Sacramento and other cities that need to
reduce carbon monoxide emissions. Clean Air Act amendments spur oil
industry to embark on a $4.5 billion investment to retool refineries for
still greater volumes of oxygenated fuel. 1995: Year-round use of
cleaner-burning fuel with 11 percent oxygenates begins in the nation's
smoggiest cities." (New Jersey's winter gasoline contains 15% MTBE.)
=20
Around the Country
=20
In New Jersey, North Haledon closed the borough's only swimming hole in
March after the Department of Environmental Protection notified the town
that high levels of MTBE were found in ground water, exceeding 70 parts
per billion (ppb), seeping in from a nearby service station.
=20
In Arizona, it was reported that MTBE was found in high concentrations
in groundwater. The Department of Environmental Quality found MTBE
levels of 130,000ppb at an undisclosed Mesa location. They also found
14,000ppb at a depth of 200 feet at Lake Havasu City, and a
concentration of 130ppb was found at a north-central Phoenix site. The
DEQ plans hearings to examine MTBE's effect on the environment.
=20
The Connecticut General Assembly's Public Health Committee heard
testimony in March on a bill prohibiting MTBE in gasoline. In Hartford,
Raymond Petrosky told lawmakers he is unable to sell his home, unable to
take a shower, unable even to get a drink of water from his kitchen
sink. The well is contaminated with MTBE, making his water stink like
ether and irritates his skin. Ivo Granata has gone to a hospital seven
times for treatment after reacting to MTBE in gasoline, and now wears a
respirator when he drives.
=20
Maine's Governor has not banned MTBE; the bill has been tabled. Maine is
going to low sulfur, low Reid vapor pressure fuel that has no limit on
MTBE.
=20
New Hampshire is having subcommittee hearings on water standards and
MTBE.
=20
In New York, two local women are leading the charge and joining forces
with Long Island allies, to force an end to MTBE.
=20
The San Antonio Texas Water Board has asked officials to consider
alternatives to MTBE. The mayors of Longview, Tyler and Marshall have
called for an outright ban.
=20
Industry lobbyists for gasoline producers and the Oxygenated Fuels
Association blame water pollution problems on leaking gasoline storage
tanks, two-cycle outboard motors, and personal watercraft. Others
mentioned additional ways of contamination, through gasoline spills
while refilling lawnmowers and chain saws. My lawnmower manual's
year-end maintenance is turn the lawnmower over and dump the gasoline!
=20
Great News From California
=20
Governor Gray Davis has determined that the risks of MTBE outweighs the
benefits. His Executive Order announced a phase out of MTBE. Davis has
called upon California=92s federal delegation to establish a forum for
MTBE's removal without violating the Federal Clean Air Act. "I hereby
certify that there is, on balance, a significant risk to California=92s
environment associated with the continued use of MTBE in gasoline. I am
directing the appropriate state regulatory agencies to devise and carry
out a plan to begin immediate phase out of MTBE from California
gasoline, with 100% removal achieved no later than December 31, 2002. I
will be asking the US Environmental Protection Agency for an immediate
waiver from the oxygen mandate in the Clean Air Act, with the
understanding that California will still fully meet the air quality
emission standards of the Act." See:
"www.ca.gov/s/governor/032599c.html"
=20
Senator Feinstein (D-CA) has introduced legislation waiving the US
oxygen mandate. Senator Snow (R-ME) has co-signed and Congressman
Bilbray has re-introduced similar legislation.
=20
Reaction from the American Corn Growers Association was: ``The very
future of the nation's ethanol industry is at stake. It cannot survive
without the continued incentives of an oxygen requirement in
reformulated gasoline. Therefore, the ACGA will work to defeat S-645 and
press for the reinstatement of oxygenated fuels in California."
=20
More next month.
>>
--part1_b4f78090.243de03f_boundary
Content-Disposition: inline
Return-Path: <stellacapp@earthlink.net>Received: from rly-yb05.mx.aol.com
(rly-yb05.mail.aol.com [172.18.146.5]) by air-yb03.mail.aol.com
(v59.4) with SMTP; Wed, 07 Apr 1999 14:42:01 -0500Received: from
scaup.prod.itd.earthlink.net (scaup.prod.itd.earthlink.net
[207.217.120.49]) by rly-yb05.mx.aol.com
(8.8.8/8.8.5/AOL-4.0.0) with ESMTP id OAA17662; Wed, 7 Apr
1999 14:40:16 -0400 (EDT)Received: from earthlink.net
(ip86.perthamboy.nj.pub-ip.psi.net [38.14.56.86]) by
scaup.prod.itd.earthlink.net (8.8.7/8.8.5) with ESMTP id LAA09174; Wed, 7 Apr
1999 11:38:11 -0700 (PDT)Message-ID:
<370BA506.3AA9BC46@earthlink.net>Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 14:33:43
-0400From: Stella Pyrtek-Blond <stellacapp@earthlink.net>X-Mailer:
Mozilla 4.5 [en] (Win95; I)X-Accept-Language: enMIME-Version:
1.0To: "73543.2304@CompuServe.com"
<73543.2304@CompuServe.com>Subject: May 99 Hemmings
LetterContent-Type: text/plain;
charset=iso-8859-1Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Reply-To:
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Letter to "Hemmings Motor News"
Stella Pyrtek-Blond is head of Public Relations for Clean Air
Performance Professionals (CAPP). For information about CAPP, and a
subscription to the CAPP Newsletter, contact: CAPP, 84 Hoy Avenue,
Fords, NJ 08863. (732) 738-7859; Fax: (732) 738-7625;
"stellacapp@earthlink.net"
"MTBE BAN in California" — May 1999
In a recent L.A. Times column "Wide World of Weird". Authorities are
blaming dog feces for contributing to Mexico City's infamous air
pollution and health risks and are appealing to pet owners for help to
scoop up 120,000 yearly tons of feces dropped by the city's 1.2 million
dogs. (Dog Smog?)
On March 16, the Sacramento "Bee" published an in-depth article: "MTBE
Risk to Drinking Water Was Known for Years --- America's fuel industry
knew about the risk to drinking water from MTBE years before domestic
refineries more than doubled the chemical's volume in gasoline, but
manufacturers marketed the product as an environmental improvement
anyway. In technical papers and conference presentations, environmental
engineers for refineries and government regulators alike predicted that
MTBE could become a lingering groundwater menace as its usage increased…
As early as 1980, MTBE was found in Rockaway, NJ ground-water near a
Shell service station. In 1986, Maine environmental officials warn of
MTBE's threat to drinking water at a Houston Conference. 1992:
Refineries introduce a winter-time gasoline with oxygenates like MTBE up
to 11 percent by volume for Sacramento and other cities that need to
reduce carbon monoxide emissions. Clean Air Act amendments spur oil
industry to embark on a $4.5 billion investment to retool refineries for
still greater volumes of oxygenated fuel. 1995: Year-round use of
cleaner-burning fuel with 11 percent oxygenates begins in the nation's
smoggiest cities." (New Jersey's winter gasoline contains 15% MTBE.)
Around the Country
In New Jersey, North Haledon closed the borough's only swimming hole in
March after the Department of Environmental Protection notified the town
that high levels of MTBE were found in ground water, exceeding 70 parts
per billion (ppb), seeping in from a nearby service station.
In Arizona, it was reported that MTBE was found in high concentrations
in groundwater. The Department of Environmental Quality found MTBE
levels of 130,000ppb at an undisclosed Mesa location. They also found
14,000ppb at a depth of 200 feet at Lake Havasu City, and a
concentration of 130ppb was found at a north-central Phoenix site. The
DEQ plans hearings to examine MTBE's effect on the environment.
The Connecticut General Assembly's Public Health Committee heard
testimony in March on a bill prohibiting MTBE in gasoline. In Hartford,
Raymond Petrosky told lawmakers he is unable to sell his home, unable to
take a shower, unable even to get a drink of water from his kitchen
sink. The well is contaminated with MTBE, making his water stink like
ether and irritates his skin. Ivo Granata has gone to a hospital seven
times for treatment after reacting to MTBE in gasoline, and now wears a
respirator when he drives.
Maine's Governor has not banned MTBE; the bill has been tabled. Maine is
going to low sulfur, low Reid vapor pressure fuel that has no limit on
MTBE.
New Hampshire is having subcommittee hearings on water standards and
MTBE.
In New York, two local women are leading the charge and joining forces
with Long Island allies, to force an end to MTBE.
The San Antonio Texas Water Board has asked officials to consider
alternatives to MTBE. The mayors of Longview, Tyler and Marshall have
called for an outright ban.
Industry lobbyists for gasoline producers and the Oxygenated Fuels
Association blame water pollution problems on leaking gasoline storage
tanks, two-cycle outboard motors, and personal watercraft. Others
mentioned additional ways of contamination, through gasoline spills
while refilling lawnmowers and chain saws. My lawnmower manual's
year-end maintenance is turn the lawnmower over and dump the gasoline!
Great News From California
Governor Gray Davis has determined that the risks of MTBE outweighs the
benefits. His Executive Order announced a phase out of MTBE. Davis has
called upon California’s federal delegation to establish a forum for
MTBE's removal without violating the Federal Clean Air Act. "I hereby
certify that there is, on balance, a significant risk to California’s
environment associated with the continued use of MTBE in gasoline. I am
directing the appropriate state regulatory agencies to devise and carry
out a plan to begin immediate phase out of MTBE from California
gasoline, with 100% removal achieved no later than December 31, 2002. I
will be asking the US Environmental Protection Agency for an immediate
waiver from the oxygen mandate in the Clean Air Act, with the
understanding that California will still fully meet the air quality
emission standards of the Act." See:
"www.ca.gov/s/governor/032599c.html"
Senator Feinstein (D-CA) has introduced legislation waiving the US
oxygen mandate. Senator Snow (R-ME) has co-signed and Congressman
Bilbray has re-introduced similar legislation.
Reaction from the American Corn Growers Association was: ``The very
future of the nation's ethanol industry is at stake. It cannot survive
without the continued incentives of an oxygen requirement in
reformulated gasoline. Therefore, the ACGA will work to defeat S-645 and
press for the reinstatement of oxygenated fuels in California."
More next month.
--part1_b4f78090.243de03f_boundary--
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
|