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SACRAMENTO
- In response to the California Energy Commission's recent recommendation
of extending the December 31, 2002 MtBE phase out deadline to December
31, 2005, the Groundwater Resources Association of California (GRA)
issued a letter to Governor Davis requesting that the original deadline
be maintained.
Citing
the enormous threat posed by MtBE to water resources (MtBE has been
detected in groundwater at thousands of gasoline stations, and also
in private and municipal water supply wells across the state), GRA
president Jim Carter urged Governor Davis to uphold his 1999 Executive
Order that calls for MtBE removal from gasoline by December 31,
2002. GRA endorsed Governor Davis' Executive Order by adopting a
resolution in January 2000 requesting an immediate ban on the fuel
additive MtBE.
Further,
Carter pointed out that every gasoline facility with MtBE is a threat
to water resources and drinking water sources due to the significant
potential for spills and undetected releases, and MtBE's unique
characteristics. The continuing contamination risks and staggering
costs to clean up MtBE in soil and groundwater dictate adherence
to the original phase out schedule.
GRA is a statewide organization of 750 groundwater professionals
that is dedicated to resource management that protects and improves
groundwater. GRA and its members are on the forefront of observing
and understanding the severity of MtBE impacts to California's water
resources and are important resources in developing solutions for
mitigating MtBE contamination.
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