Barbara Boxer: “The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Association of…”

“The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) strongly support language in the current Energy Policy Act of 2002 to end the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and expedite states' requests for waivers from the Clean Air Act's oxygenate requirement. The phase-out will protect increasingly scarce water supplies from additional contamination by MTBE, which was blended into gas without regulators' consideration of its impact on groundwater. Unfortunately, however, the energy bill would also require that states use a new fuel additive, ethanol, in even greater quantities than were required for MTBE.”