Bill would boost state ethanol production
Ewing hopes to eliminate MTBE use with bill

by Leslie Hague
Daily Illini reporter

Local U.S. Rep. Tom Ewing introduced legislation Thursday that would eliminate the chemical MTBE in the United States, leading the gasoline industry to use ethanol instead. Illinois is a leading producer of ethanol.

Following the Clean Air Act of 1990, each section of gasoline sold in the United States had an oxygenate requirement of about 2 percent. The only two viable oxygenates that meet the requirements now are MTBE and ethanol.

Ewing's plan would phase out the use of MTBE over three years.

"MTBE is well known to contaminate our groundwater," Ewing said in a press release. "This has led many communities ... to become understandably concerned."

Ewing cited a USDA estimate of 13,000 new jobs in rural America and "an increase in farm income by more than $1 billion annually over the next 10 years" because of ethanol production as further reasons to support the bill.

Several similar bills have been proposed, including one from the Clinton administration that would amend the Clean Air Act to eliminate the oxygenate requirement all together.

Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, who supports banning MTBE and not eliminating the oxygenate requirement, believes ethanol is the best alternative.

"Americans should not be forced to choose between clean air and clean water," Fitzgerald said in a press release. "Ethanol has proven to effectively reduce emissions without the dangerous side effects of MTBE."

Ewing spokeswoman Elizabeth Meyer said Ewing did not support the way the Clinton bill would be carried out.

"Essentially, (Ewing) thinks that the administration bill is not doable," she said.

Meyer said the Ewing bill will go to the commerce committee, which has several possible actions.

"They'll discuss it and decide what to do with it," she said. "The best case scenario is they'll look at it, mark it up and send it to vote."

However, Meyer said there was no way to tell when the committee would make any decisions about the bill.

"The Congressman thinks there's about a 50 percent chance there'll be some serious action on it," Meyer said.

"This is not going to be an easy bill to get through," she continued. Some states would rather get rid of the oxygenate requirement altogether, and "the oil-producing states have their own motives," Meyer said.

"But you have to work for the bill," she said. "You have to push for your interests."