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MTBE (Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether)
MTBE is a chemical compound which contains oxygen and is often added to gasoline to boost its octane or to meet clean fuel oxygen requirements (i.e., reformulated gasoline and winter oxygenate gasoline).
This Web site contains documents related to MTBE in gasoline andits air quality benefits.
For general information on all aspects of MTBE (air quality, health effects, water quality, underground storage tanks, and research),please go to EPA's MTBE HOME PAGE. You'll find Frequently Asked Questions and links to more detailed information on those topics.
For hard copies of any document on this Web page, please contact the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory Library at: U.S. EPA, NVFEL Library, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48105, (734) 214-4311.
Contact: Joe Bachman, phone: (202) 564-3968, email: bachman.joseph@epa.gov
- MTBE in Reformulated Gasoline
- Regulations and Support Documents
- Health Effects
- Interagency Assessment
- Blue Ribbon Panel
- Congressional Testimony
- Archive
- Related EPA Links on MTBE
- External MTBE Links
NOTE: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.
MTBE in Reformulated Gasoline
- States in which there are bans on MTBE (PDF, 4 pages, 45K) EPA420-B-07-013, August, 2007)
This document lists states that have enacted legislation to ban MTBE. Should you have any information on pending state legislation or newly enacted state bans on MTBE that are not on this list, please contact:
Kurt Gustafson, phone (202) 343-9219, email: Kurt Gustafson (gustafson.kurt@epa.gov) - Reformulated Gasoline (PDF) (12K, EPA420-F-99-040, November 1999)
This fact sheet discusses RFG's air quality benefits, effect on engine performance and fuel economy, production cost and retail price, and oxygen requirement. RFG program requires 2% oxygen by weight, often met by adding MTBE. - Oxygenate Type Analysis - 1995-2000 Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) Survey Data (PDF) (173K)
These tables provide a percent of retail samples of RFG that contain MTBE, ethanol, ETBE, or TAME in a given RFG area. Contact Stuart Romanow. phone: (202) 564-9296, email: Stuart Romanow (romanow.stuart@epa.gov)
Regulations and Support Documents
- Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Control MTBE in Gasoline (March 2000)
- Federal Register Notice of Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (also available as a PDF file, 293K)
- Fact sheet: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Control MTBE in Gasoline (PDF) (14K, EPA420-F-00-012)
- Press Release: Administration Acts to Eliminate MTBE, Boost Ethanol (PDF) (28K)
- Fact sheet: Control of MTBE in Gasoline (EPA420-F-00-010)
Contact: Joe Bachman, phone: (202) 564-3968, email: bachman.joseph@epa.gov
Health Effects
- 2001 - Recent EPA research on MTBE
- November 1998 - Final Notification Letter to American Petroleum Institute (API) from Margo T. Oge (Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality) on testing requirements for baseline gasoline and non-baseline (oxygenated) gasoline groups under Section 211(b) of the CAA (PDF) (214K)
Contact: John Brophy, phone: (202) 564-9068, email: brophy.john@epa.gov
Interagency Assessment of Oxygenated Fuels
This July 1997 White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) final report on EPA's winter oxygenated fuels program considers health effects, air quality, fuel economy and engine performance, and ground water and drinking water quality issues.
- Executive Summary (PDF) (607K)
- Introduction and Contents (PDF) (700K)
- Chapter 1: Air Quality Effects (PDF) (800K)
- Chapter 2: Fuel Oxygenates and Water Quality (PDF) (1.7MB)
- Chapter 3: Fuel Economy and Engine Performance Issues (PDF) (400K)
- Chapter 4: Potential Health Effects of Oxygenated Gasoline (PDF) (700K)
- The entire OSTP Report (PDF) (4MB)
Congressional Testimony
- Testimony by Jeffrey Holmstead, Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, EPA, before the House Committee on Energy and Environment (November 2001). (via House Energy & Commerce).
- Testimony on MTBE by Robert Perciasepe (PDF) (17K), Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, EPA, before the House Committee on Energy and Environment, (March 2, 2000).
- Testimony on RFG & MTBE by Margo T. Oge (PDF) (166K), Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, of the Committee on Science, U.S. House of Representatives, (September 14, 1999).
Contact: Mike Shields, phone: (202) 564-9035, email: shields.mike@epa.gov
Blue Ribbon Panel
- Blue Ribbon Panel was temporarily created to provide EPA independent advice and counsel on policy issues related to the use of MTBE and other oxygenates in gasoline.
Related EPA Links on MTBE
- U.S. EPA Web site on MTBE
- Natural Attenuation of MTBE in the subsurface under Methanogenic conditions.
Archive
- Remarks by Administrator Carol Browner in regard to Legislative principles to reduce or eliminate MTBE (March 2000). 6K WPD or 6K PDF (2 pp, 6.47kb, March 2000)
- Fact sheet: Legislative Principles for Protecting Drinking Water Supplies, Preserving Clean Air Benefits, and Promoting Renewable Fuels (PDF) (13K, EPA420-F-00-011, March 2000)
External MTBE Links
- Energy Commission MTBE Study
California Energy CommissionThis site provides several reports that the California Energy Commission has written regarding MTBE and alternatives to MTBE. It also provides: California Governor Davis' executive order and news releases; Energy Commission hearings and notices; documents related to the phase out of MTBE in California; and presentations before the Energy Commission.
- Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration's Monthly Oxygenate Telephone Report, 1999 -- Production Data
This site provides production data for fuel ethanol and MTBE in the United States and major U.S. geographic regions. Data are collected from a sample of respondents reporting on EIA's Monthly Petroleum Supply Reporting System surveys and from the universe of oxygenate producers.
- MTBE in Maine: Summary of Five Point Plan (October 13, 1998)
Maine Department of Environmental ProtectionThe Maine Departments of Environmental Protection and Human Services announced a five-point plan to respond to incidents of MTBE contamination of public and private wells. This report is an overview of the background and results of that initiative.
- Report to Congress: MTBE in Gasoline: Clean Air and Drinking Water Issues (February 2000) (PDF, 23 pages, 1.7M)
Congressional Research ServiceThis Report to Congress, which was compiled by the Congressional Research Service, provides background information concerning MTBE and briefly summarizes information concerning the environmental impacts of the additive's use and potential regulatory and legislative options.
- Cleaner-Burning Gasoline Program Publications
Air Resources Board, California Environmental Protection AgencyThis Web site includes background papers, fact sheets, newsletters, brochures, etc., on California's Cleaner-Burning Gasoline (CBG) program. It includes information on MTBE as well, particularly a 34-page report entitled "An Overview of the Use of Oxygenates in Gasoline."
- MTBE Research Supported by the TSR&TP
University of California at DavisThe University of California at Davis' Toxic Substance Research and Teaching program has been studying and assessing the human health and environmental risks and benefits of MTBE. This site provides a look into that program along with information regarding MTBE research, symposiums, newsletters, awards, and reports . It also includes the 1998 report to the Governor and Legislature of California, "Health and Environmental Assessment of MTBE."
- GeoTracker
Lawrence Livermore LaboratoryGeoTracker is a project of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The project's objective is to provide the Governor's Office, legislature, and public entities with information concerning the vulnerability of California's groundwater to MTBE. This site provides information about the project.
- Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE)
U.S. Geological SurveyThis USGS site offers reports on sources and occurrences of MTBE contamination in ground and drinking water in the US. Among this site's publications, are a report on the environmental behavior of MTBE, studies of urban storm water, MTBE data from agricultural and urban land-use studies, and a long list of publication abstracts from the agency's research in MTBE and other volatile organic compounds. A list of additional Internet resources is available, including an MTBE bibliography from the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program that is searchable by keyword or free text.
- A National Assessment of Volatile Organic Chemicals in Major Aquifer Systems and Rivers
U.S. Geological SurveyThis site describes the National Water Quality Assessment program, an effort focused on volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), including MTBE. A list of additional Internet resources is available, including various publications regarding MTBE in gasoline, groundwater and storm water.
- Regression Modeling of Oxyfuel Effects on Ambient CO Concentrations (PDF, 27 pages, 101K) (January 1997)
Oxygenated Fuels AssociationThis final report was prepared by Systems Applications International for the Oxygenated Fuels Association and the Renewable Fuels Association. This study reports a substantial (14 percent reduction) and statistically significant (± 4% with 95% confidence) association between the use of oxyfuels and monitored carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations. Starting with the available large EPA database of hourly observations of CO concentrations, regression modeling techniques were used to investigate the relationship between the winter use of oxyfuels and winter ambient CO concentrations at over 300 monitoring sites which were designated as oxyfuel or non-oxyfuel sites by EPA and also met appropriate data completeness criteria.