Another fuel related entry.

Bush the anti-environment crusader.

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration quietly shelved a proposal to ban a gasoline additive that contaminates drinking water in many communities, helping an industry that has donated more than $1 million to Republicans.

The Environmental Protection Agency's decision had its origin in the early days of President Bush's tenure when his administration decided not to move ahead with a Clinton-era regulatory effort to ban the clean-air additive methyl tertiary-butyl ether, or MTBE.

The proposed regulation said the environmental harm of the additive leaching into ground water overshadowed its beneficial effects to the air.

The Bush administration decided to leave the issue to Congress, where it has been bogged down by a proposal to shield the industry from some lawsuits. That initiative is being led by the House majority leader, Tom DeLay, Republican of Texas.

"The use of MTBE as an additive in gasoline presents an unreasonable risk to the environment," said a draft of the proposed regulation the EPA sent to the White House on the last full day of the Clinton administration in January 2001. The EPA document went on to say that "low levels of MTBE can render drinking water supplies unpotable due to its offensive taste and odor" and that the additive should be phased out over four years.

"Unlike other components of gasoline, MTBE dissolves and spreads readily in the ground water . . . resists biodegradation, and is more difficult and costly to remove."

People say MTBE-contaminated water tastes like turpentine.

In Santa Monica, Calif., the oil industry will pay hundreds of millions of dollars because the additive contaminated the city's water supply.

"We're the poster child for MTBE, and it could take decades to clean this up," said Joseph Lawrence, assistant city attorney.

In 2000, the MTBE industry's lobbying group told the Clinton administration that limiting MTBE's use by regulation "would inflict grave economic harm on member companies."

Three MTBE producers account for half of the additive's daily output.

The three contributed $338,000 to George W. Bush's presidential campaign, the Republican Party, and Republican congressional candidates in 1999 and 2000, twice what they gave Democrats, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Since then, the three producers have given just over $1 million to Republicans.

Much more at link

In a logical fallacy known as a Red Herring, Valero Energy spokeswoman Mary Rose Brown states: "Nobody's talking about the trial lawyers' campaign contributions to their supporters in Congress, and it's the trial lawyers who are the force behind these unjustified lawsuits."

Well Val, this issue isn't about trial lawyers now is it? It is about a rollback of federal standards that may impact the health of our citizenry. Sheeesh.

I know, we'll do the responsible thing. We'll kowtow to the MTBE producers at the potential peril of our citizenry's health.

Here is a position neutral piece on MTBE Drink up.