Senate committee reports bill to phase out MTBE in gasoline

17 March 2005 17:37  [Source: ICIS news]

WASHINGTON (CNI)--A Senate panel has approved legislation that would greatly increase demand for renewable fuels - most notably ethanol - and phase out the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) as a motor fuel additive.

 

By voice vote, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee cleared the way for full Senate consideration of the Renewable Fuels Act, introduced last week by Senators John Thune (Republican-South Dakota) and James Inhofe (Republican-Oklahoma), committee chairman.

 

"This is a critical first step to increasing ethanol use [in gasoline] in America," Thune said after the vote. "We are closer to passing legislation that will dramatically increase ethanol demand. The Senate now has an opportunity to improve - and pass - this vital legislation to strengthen America's energy security."

 

Inhofe said the committee intends to incorporate the bill into comprehensive energy legislation "at the appropriate time."

 

The renewable fuels bill would require refineries to blend 6bn gallons/year of ethanol into gasoline by 2012 and greatly increase the use of biofuels produced from agricultural commodities.

 

It would also phase out the use of MTBE in the US fuels marketplace in four years and eliminate the federal oxygenate requirement in reformulated gasoline.

By: Glenn Hess
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