U.S. Senator
John Chafee
U.S. Senator |
Getty Petroleum Marketing, Inc. has sent a letter to U.S. Senator John Chafee of Rhode, who has expressed concerns with MTBE, urging him to work to allow the year-round use of ethanol in Rhode Island and all reformulated gasoline areas. "We happen to share your concern regarding MTBE and, in fact, currently offer Rhode Island consumers the only available alternative - ethanol-blended reformulated gasoline," wrote Vincent DeLaurentis, Gettys President and Chief Operating Officer. Getty is one of the largest gasoline marketers in Rhode Island. |
| "Unfortunately, we cannot use ethanol year-round. EPA regulations make it extremely difficult and costly to utilize during the summer volatile organic compounds control season. Unless EPA regulations are changed, we will again be forced to adopt an MTBE-blend program in Rhode Island again next summer," said DeLaurentis. |  |
"We share your concerns about MTBE. It should be troubling to all that after barely five years of widespread use, MTBE is already the second-most commonly detected chemical in the environment. Our frustration is not with the oxygen requirement in reformulated gasoline, but with EPA regulations which make it impossible for Getty to blend ethanol year-round," said DeLaurentis. "As your Committee considers steps to address the growing MTBE crisis, I hope that you will take action to allow Getty, and other refiners and marketers across the country, to take advantage of the benefits provided by ethanol year-round and allow us to get out of MTBE completely."
