STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb ---------------------------------------------------------------------- <A HREF="aol://4344:30.L100cD6x.5284625.678249736"> 06/28: ExxonMobil sued for MTBE spill in Long Island, NY</A> ExxonMobil sued for MTBE spill in Long Island, NY NEW YORK, June 28 (Reuters) - One of the largest suppliers of drinking water on Long Island sued Exxon Mobil Corp.<<A HREF="aol://4785:XOM">XOM.N</A>> on Thursday for water contamination by a gasoline additive that was first used to help the environment. The Plainview Water District, which is east of New York City and provides drinking water to 35,000 Long Island residents, said the additive, MTBE, has not yet spread from the groundwater to its 11 drinking wells. But it alleges that Exxon Mobil, the world's largest oil company, has known about the spill and done nothing to prevent it from spreading. The water district is seeking $2 billion in punitive damages and $500 million in compensatory damages for a gasoline spill at a now-closed Mobil station in Plainview, according to papers filed in New York State Supreme Court in Nassau County. "Basically, what we have here is a case of a polluter, knowing about a situation, and doing absolutely nothing," Marc Bern, the Plainview Water District's lawyer alleged. "They've (Exxon Mobil) known about this for many years. They knew about it, they did not advise the Plainview Water District, they did not advise the Plainview residents, and as a result, the harshest punishment should be brought to bear upon this corporate entity," Bern said. MTBE, or methyl tertiary butyl ether, has been a prickly issue for oil companies since its use mushroomed with the passage of the Clean Air Act of 1990. The additive helps gasoline to burn more cleanly but has a chemical affinity for water, takes longer to break down than other petroleum products and is listed as a possible carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency. But MTBE is an economically desirable component used in reformulated gasoline, the grade required in a third of nation's pumps. Most of the U.S. Northeast is legally bound to use reformulated gasoline with an additive. Exxon Mobil says the company is working with the proper regulatory agency, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), to clean the spill. "Exxon Mobil has certainly taken a very proactive approach in addressing this site -- even after it ceased operation. And we continue to take an active role in meeting our environmental responsibilities," spokesman Barry Wood said. MTBE has been added to gasoline since the late 1970s to increase octane. Its critics argue that aside from health risks, better emission systems in today's cars circumvent the need for the additive, thereby calling its benefits into question. New York state has 200,000 known spills of MTBE, according to Walter Hang, president of the environmental database firm Toxics Targeting Inc. which is aiding the water district. New York has banned the use of MTBE by 2004. California, Connecticut, and New Hampshire have also taken steps to phase out its use. All the parties involved agree there is no contamination in the district's 11 drinking wells. "The supply wells are free from MTBE contamination, so we're strictly being pro-active here. So first and foremost we're looking for a comprehensive site investigation, and clean up. That is most expedient," Paul Granger, the Plainview Water District's superintendent said. Exactly how much MTBE has seeped into the groundwater has not been established either, said Granger. "Since there's no monitoring between the gas station and the well, it (MTBE) could be right on the verge of penetrating the well tomorrow for all we know," said Toxics Targeting's Hang. "The state and the responsible party have not monitored how close the pollution has crept to the well. That's a big error." Hang added the level of MTBE in the ground water has increased more than 10 times to 840 parts per billion since spilled gasoline was discovered in August 1997. But the DEC says that level of contamination is contained to the soil right below the spill. "Yes, this is 80 times the ground water standard, but it is not an exceptionally high number, given the kind of spill that occurred there," said Mark Lowery a spokesman for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. "No one is saying that this is a great thing. But it is our intent to make sure that contamination doesn't reach the public supply wells, and everything we know about what's going on there tells us we'll be able to do that," Lowery added. 22:42 06-28-01 Copyright 2001 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
