[ Search ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
91_HR0377
LRB9106811ACtm
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) is a gasoline
3 additive that increases the oxygen content of gasoline,
4 making the fuel burn more cleanly and reducing smog; recently
5 the additive has raised many health concerns; and
6 WHEREAS, Leaking gasoline storage tanks and pipelines
7 have caused MTBE to seep into drinking water supplies in
8 dozens of states where the chemical is used, giving the water
9 a turpentine-like taste and smell; and
10 WHEREAS, MTBE was hailed as the savior of the federal
11 Clean Air Act in the early 1990s; now the chemical is under
12 scrutiny as it may pose a health hazard and has been listed
13 as a possible carcinogen; and
14 WHEREAS, Included in the list of alternatives to MTBE is
15 corn-based ethanol; Illinois' ethanol industry supports over
16 50,000 jobs in the corn farming and ethanol processing
17 sector, with major facilities in Peoria, Decatur, and
18 elsewhere in the State, making ethanol readily available
19 within Illinois; therefore, be it
20 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-
21 FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
22 respectfully request that the Pollution Control Board, in
23 cooperation with the Illinois Environmental Protection
24 Agency, adopt rules to ban the use of MTBE as a gasoline
25 additive in Illinois; and be it further
26 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
27 delivered to the Director of the Illinois Environmental
28 Protection Agency and the Chairman of the Pollution Control
29 Board.