Chuck Schumer: “I am sorry I could not be here at the beginning of the debate, but I have a couple of questions. Just let me get this…”

“I am sorry I could not be here at the beginning of the debate, but I have a couple of questions. Just let me get this straight. We are banning MTBEs because we know they are harmful--in this bill. Some of our States have done it already. And we are forcing States that may not use ethanol to buy ethanol, which will raise gas prices and cut the amount that goes into the trust fund. At the same time, we are saying: But, if your soil is polluted--and we have a big problem in New York because on Long Island we have one aquifer, one place where all the drinking water occurs and the MTBEs are sinking in--if your soil is polluted and even if it was done knowingly, that you cannot sue the polluter? Is that what we are saying here?”