Maine Attorney Lawyer

He was alleged to clean the air. Instead, it is now the nation risk of drinking water.

Methyl tertiary-butyl - a gasoline additive, which may be carcinogenic - was also a lot of wells, lakes and aquifers across the country that MTBE contamination is probably one of the largest environmental quagmires of the next decade.

The cities have been forced to cap wells contaminated. The water in many districts have files dollars appeal against the oil companies. And new studies have found high concentrations of the additive in rural areas of countries such as Montana.

In California - home to 27 million vehicles and over 9500 service stations - MTBE has contaminated groundwater little deep 10000 sites, including 1000 in the Bay Area. It was also found in the state of tens of lakes and dams, including Shasta, Tahoe and Thursday in the north and Castaic, Pyramid and Perris in the south.

“ If you find MTBE in as many drinking water sources throughout the country, which clearly indicates that this is a matter of national concern and federal,’’said John Reuter, one of University of California at Davis aquatic ecologist and a sponsor MTBE a recent study for the legislature in California.

The Environmental Protection Agency has paved the way for the use of MTBE as an additive for gasoline in the high level of smog and carbon monoxide in 1991. Today, the price of this decision is increasingly clear.

The U.S. Geological Survey found that controversial additive in more than one fourth of the nation urban wells, as well as in streams, lakes, rain and snow.

Over the past ten years, researchers have found that MTBE may cause cancer in animals, and they believe it is a carcinogenic potential of trafficking in human beings.

Disjointes U-storage tanks of gasoline, it migrates easily to water. In fuel rather than a two-stroke engine and Jet-Ski directly MTBE sale of dams and lakes. A recent study in Maine, that even small gas leaks could lead to widespread contamination.

The UC-detailed study published last month MTBE’s threat to the nation’s drinking water. The report concludes that other oil companies for clean burning gasoline, the federal smog standards without oxygenates such as MTBE.

Even if MTBE were banned today, years would be required to withdraw from the drinking water of the nation, experts say. The cost of abolishing it could billion.

“ More MTBE stays in the system, plus the contamination of Web sites is it, and it is very quickly exceeded our ability to cope with the problem,’’said Steve Hall, director of the Association of California Water Agencies. California, and about one third of the country with the essence of large amounts of MTBE. Most other parties to take advantage of the nation that small quantities of gasoline additive.

Chemical industry officials continue to insist that MTBE helps reduce smog and the additive being wrongly demonized.

“ If you choose the way to solve the problem of water pollution there is a component of gasoline, then whatever you do, is a symptom of the leak and are not a solution to the problem of basis of leaks from underground storage tanks,’’said Eric Bolton, spokesman for the oxygen Fuels Association, which MTBE manufacturer.

The first of the year, all the tanks of the nation must meet new security standards, but so far, EPA has resisted calls for a ban on MTBE.

“ It is scandalous to endanger public health,’’said Brooke Coleman of the Earth Island Institute in San Francisco. “ CEPOL - Protection Agency of the U.S. population - is behind a carcinogenic chemicals, poisoning of drinking water.”

The show highlights the threat to drinking water ensures MTBE has shown throughout California.

A Santa Monica, city officials were forced to stop in September fountains lose more than half their water supply. Costs for clean-up activities and is not expected to commence by the end of next year could reach $ 100 million in the next ten years.

At the heart County Community Glennville, government expenditure above $ 5000 per month for fresh water to nine homes and a store of tests found MTBE levels as high as 20000 parts per billion (ppb) in a well. The state of health is currently limited 35 ppb.

“ I did this MTBE in my body and my grandchildren,’’said Freda Cuba, whose well was contaminated. Cuba said it rashes, convulsions and gastro-intestinal problems. “ I have my grandchildren to drink water and iced tea, Kool-Aid, sprudelbäder them. I did not know I was poisoned water.”