California: Davis delays MTBE ban in effort to keep gas affordable

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | March 17, 2002 | Lynda Gledhill, Jane Kay

[John Jorsett]

Sacramento -- In a move he said would prevent gasoline prices from hitting $3 a gallon, Gov. Gray Davis yesterday delayed for one year a ban on MTBE in gas sold in California.

The decision immediately sparked outrage from environmental groups, who warned that the gasoline additive used to lower tailpipe emissions has leaked from underground tanks and polluted drinking water supplies.

[John Jorsett]

Can't have gas prices going to the sky in an election year. Gotta wait for an off year for that.

[evolved_rage]

Despite assurances from the Davis administration, Marguerite Young, California director of the national nonprofit Clean Water Action, said she was disappointed in the decision.

And until after the election, she won't say boo.

[Robert357]

Can't have gas prices going to the sky in an election year. Gotta wait for an off year for that.

Well, not only can't you have the price voters pay for gas go up, you can't hurt the tourism industry in an election year. Gov. Davis is hoping that the economy this summer will turn around. I hope that Republicans do the "are you better off financially than you were at the time of the last election public question to Davis."

I hope the Enviro-wacho's get POed and support third party or green party candidates for Gov.

[ez]

I hope the Enviro-wacho's get POed and support third party or green party candidates for Gov.

FReepers should encourage and publicize Green Party candidates across the US. I wrote Nader several letters encouraging him to stick to his guns...

[Wphile]

Incredible. If this were a Republican or President Bush, she would be going ballistic. Instead, it's "I'm disappointed." Unfrickinbelievable.

[KC_for_Freedom]

I hope the Enviro-wacho's get POed and support third party or green party candidates for Gov

This would be nice. And I hope this brings out more conservatives against Davis. Simon could help this along if he would strike a blow for free enterprise and state that he would open the petroleum market in California to truckers from Nevada and Oregon. This would have the effect of easing the price of gas.

And while I'm on it, the Univ of Cal at Berkeley determined that MTBE (or other additives) don't really clean up the air. It seems that the additives don't burn with as much power so we get less mileage in the same proportion as the additive. Thus we use more gas and polute the same. (Except for the water which can't be cleaned of MTBE and stays polluted.) Davis is an idiot.

[hedgetrimmer]

Gas prices should go down when we get rid of MTBE, because then we won't have to use this special formulation gasoline. We should be able to buy gas from anywhere and that competition should lower the prices. Do you think Mr. Davis could be lying to keep prices high, so that the gas companies will keep giving him donations for his re-election?

[Dog Gone]

Everything is a "cartel" to Davis.

This guy suffers from sort of mental illness where he thinks everybody is constantly conspiring against him. Seriously.

I only wish we would.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

"If I could snap my fingers and make MTBE go away tomorrow, I would," Davis said at a press conference in Redondo Beach (Los Angeles County). "But we've seen this movie before, and I am not going to allow Californians to be held hostage by another out-of-state energy cartel."

"But we've seen this movie before,

Davis is right on this statement!

We need a good Manager to head the State of California.

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[Ramius]

Gas prices should go down when we get rid of MTBE, because then we won't have to use this special formulation gasoline.

That's true, except that in the short term prices will spike up as refineries retool for a different product.

Here's another nugget for you:

All gasoline sold in CA must be refined in CA.

Now read the article with that filter on it. Interesting?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

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[lafroste]

Crowley said the Bush administration bears some responsibility for not giving California the waiver that would have allowed it to make clean-burning gas without either MTBE or ethanol.

Now just a d&mn minute. First, this decision was made in early 1999, two years before Bush was sworn in. Second, the waiver must be for allowing violations of the refinery's existing Title V air permit, a program administered by the STATE by delegation of authority from the USEPA. Did the state regulators support a waiver application? Further, those violations would be for making "unapproved" process changes, not increasing the level of actual air emissions (for folks who don't actually work in air compliance:You have no concept of just how onerous, restrictive, meddlesome, and capricious those stupid regs really are).

The state would have great latitude in issuing waivers for process modifications, with the USEPA being consulted AFTER state approval. Did the state approve these waivers first? I'll bet you a donut (scratch that, I'm on a diet) they said H&LL NO! if they were even asked.

But they just have to try and blame Bush for this, even though he has absolutely nothing to do with it. That said, he could get involved, but listen to the enviroweenies scream now, even with their boy calling the shots. Ludicrous.

[Rodney Dangerfield]

This is what happens when you elect Democrats - they were the ones who originally pushed for this MTBE crap here in CA in the first place.

Think the media will remind voters of that?
Not a chance.

[Rodney Dangerfield]

This is what happens when you elect Democrats - they were the ones who originally pushed for this MTBE crap here in CA in the first place.

Think the media will remind voters of that?
Not a chance.

[Rodney Dangerfield]

This is what happens when you elect Democrats - they were the ones who originally pushed for this MTBE crap here in CA in the first place.

Think the media will remind voters of that?
Not a chance.

[quimby]

"If I could snap my fingers and make MTBE go away tomorrow, I would,"

LOL, BOHICA. Sounds like "I could solve his problem in 20 minutes." The following statement proves he's lying about something:

The governor has said that California refiners can make a reformulated gas that can meet federal standards without any additive.

Ok governor, call their bluff and prove it. BTW, I think he's right about the second statement. Let the feds sue us for the penalties.

[SirFishalot]

The "Environmentalists" were the ones that insisted with Democrats that the MTBE be put in gas in the first place. Now they are pissed that it's not being removed?

[SAJ]

The use of either major oxygenate, whether MTBE or ethanol, constitutes a reformulation of gasoline. You'll still be using RFG, either II or IIa or whatever the tiny, tiny minds of Calbania's enviro-crats decide to order refiners to produce. Oh, yes, and pls note that ethanol is and will remain more expensive than MTBE, due to guess what?...governmental subsidization of both corn crops and ethanol production. Your tax dollars at work.

Think it can't get worse? Try again. In the 8-state Upper Midwest region, the politics of gasoline has produced requirements for -- hold your breath -- 32 separate formulations, aka 'blends'.

All that said, though, Doofus should still get rid of MTBE. It's a remarkably persistent agent, very difficult to remove in a non-laboratory situation. Further, if the US has a high-demand driving season this summer, Calbania is a dead lock for $3.00 pump prices, starting any time after the election. Of course, Calb. COULD avoid this by decertifying certain standards and eliminating quite a number of nonsensical regulations (as one poster pointed out, certain trucking regs for a start), but I won't be holding my breath on that, will you? (w!)

[SAJ]

BUMP that!

Absolutely smack on, and an excellent point about Title V. You don't really think facts will get in these clowns' way, though, do you? (g!)

[Carry_Okie]

but we've seen this movie before...

...and we know it's got a plot, don't we DG?

It's all so predictable. I think I'm gonna go on a bender.