MTBE Phaseout Could Severely Harm California Economy

Date: February 21, 2002

Source: News Room

Consultants have told the California Energy Commission that the cost to phase out MTBE may be prohibitively expensive. Consultants from Stillwater Associates told the CEC at a recent public meeting that keeping the current phase out date for MTBE of January 1, 2003, will cause a 5 to 10% gasoline supply shortfall, and pump price increases of 50 to 100%. The consultants recommended delaying the MTBE phase out to November 2005. The state could save $1 billion to $3 billion at the pump each year by modifying the date of an MTBE phaseout. State consultants have said that the MTBE phaseout could lead to an energy crisis that would make the state's recent electricity crisis look minor by comparison.

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