MTBE Information

MTBE Water Contamination in Hempstead, NY.
By Jessica Wertling

For my final project, I will be investigating the pollution of Long Island groundwater that has accumulated as a result of approximately 32 petroleum spills. These spills have the potential to contaminate the aquifers and water supply wells which supply Long Island's drinking water because they contain the chemical MTBE. The chemical is speculated to have detrimental effects on human health, although there have not yet been conclusive studies. New York banned MTBE in 2004 and Long Island had 24 percent of the state's total spills, which is more than any other region in New York; Long Island also had the highest quantities of the chemical, per spill. The gasoline spills have the capacity to affect the drinking water of approximately 2.7 million Long Island residents. According to my research, there have been at least two MTBE spills in Hempstead which did not meet cleanup standards and therefore I think it could be a good story to hone in on the issue as it relates to Hempstead. It would be helpful to talk to local geologists, chemists, and environmentalists, to get a better understanding of the health risks, the effects on quality of life, and what is being done to solve the issue in Hempstead.




History

MTBE is a fossil fuel used in motor gasoline. During its use as a fuel additive, it was produced in large quantities (up to 200,000 barrels a day). MTBE was first added to gasoline in 1979, however, its use has declined due to bans in New York and many other states. Because of gasoline spills and the leaking of gasoline from underground storage tanks, the use of MTBE as a fossil fuel has been reduced and in many places totally banned. MTBE is water soluble and therefore easily permeates in water, more so than other chemicals found in gasoline. These incidents of fuel leaks have caused many water aquifers to become tainted with the chemical, especially on Long Island. The chemical often gives drinking water an unpleasant taste and exact health ramifications of its consumption are largely debated. Other times, MTBE can be tasteless and odorless, in which case people will not even know they are consuming it. While gas companies argue that it is harmless, many Long Island residents speculate that there is a correlation between MTBE contaminated drinking water and high incidents of diseases like breast cancer on Long Island. While the exact health consequences of the chemicals are unknown, many scientists believe that it may have detrimental, long-term effects on human health. This has been a reoccurring problem for decades on Long Island in that it has been popping up every few years and then quieting down again. Hempstead is an area which has found to have the chemical in its drinking water in recent months.







Scope

This problem affects many communities on Long Island in addition to Hempstead. In fact, Long Island is an area of the United States which has had one of the highest incidents of MTBE spills, and therefore, incidents of MTBE contaminating community drinking water. MTBE is not just a problem familiar to the United States, but it is a national and even international problem. MTBE is expensive to remove from water and taxpayers often end up paying the price, an estimated $2.5 million from the 32 petroleum spills detected in Nassau County in February 2008. Health wise, it is speculated that MTBE consumption can result in ailments ranging from the relatively mild, like headaches and sore throats, to the life threatening, such as cancers because it is a potential human carcinogen at high doses.







Central Reasons

Since MTBE is extremely water permeable, it is relatively easy for this chemical to seep from the sediment into our water supply if it happens to leak out of a gasoline tank and into an aquifer. This is not to say that gas companies are not to blame, for it is often carelessness by gas stations that causes and exacerbates the spills. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) often must hire private contractors to investigate the extent of the contaminations and clean them because gas station owners refuse to investigate. Exxon Mobil Corp. was forced to take accountability in 2001 when it lost a law suit against the Plainview Water District for MTBE contamination. However, in spite of history, carelessness taken by gas stations has once again led MTBE to infiltrate Long Island’s water.



Impacts

Anyone who consumes tap water in areas in proximity to MTBE spills has the potential to be affected by this. People who are ignorant to the problem are at an even greater disadvantage because they may be consuming this chemical without knowing it. Water is obviously needed to sustain life and it is not feasible for most Hempstead residents, or most people for that matter, to depend solely on bottled water. MTBE is potentially capable of destroying one’s quality of life through physical pain like body aches or even cancer, which may of course, lead to death.







Gathering and Action of Contrary Forces

While gas companies try to avoid responsibility and accountability, water districts, environmentalists, and politicians try to remedy this issue and protect communities from MTBE contamination and consumption through litigation involving bans on MTBE and stricter ramifications against gas stations which continue to use MTBE in New York.







The Future

Although there have been laws banning the usage of MTBE as a gas additive in many states, including New York, it continues to be detected from previous gas spills and sometimes it is illegally used by gas stations. There needs to be stricter liability for gas stations that continue to illegally use this additive and more widespread means need to be used to detect this chemical in water. From a journalism standpoint, it is important for journalists to make a big deal about this so that people know what they are putting in their bodies. If more people know about this, more people will become angry about it and hopefully the likelihood of a solution will increase significantly.







Links:




1.) http://www.toxicstargeting.com/toxicmaps/nassau/gardencity.htm

This link is a map of Hempstead and surrounding towns which identifies toxic sites including MTBE spill zones that have not met cleanup standards, as of2005.



2.) http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-limtbe0223,0,731415.story

This is the latest news story involving MTBE (from the February 28, 2008 Newsday), which contends that petroleum spills have been detected throughout Nassau County which have not been previously detected.



3.) http://www.uswaternews.com/archives/arcquality/8bannchem3.html

This recent article cites the state Department of Environmental Conservation in its claims that MTBE still poses a threat to Long Island drinking water



4.) http://www.liapg.org/links.html

This site lists links to subdivisions of the Long Island Association of Professional Geologists, including the Society of Petroleum Engineers and Eastern Environmental Solutions, Inc., both of which are related to studying and dealing with petroleum spills.



5.) http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/42161.html

This is a two-year-old investigatory report by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation which probes the potential sources of MTBE water contamination on Long Island and how it might impact water supplies. It found 53% of sites investigated in Nassau County exceeded the New York State Department of Health drinking water standard of MTBE permitted in drinking water.



6.) http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/2005/PR41631.LI%20MTBE.042505.html

This is a three-year-old press release from Senator Schumer which revealed previously undisclosed MTBE leaks. It states that the average Long Island taxpayer would spend an extra $260 per year to clean up the spills.



7.) http://www.citizenscampaign.org/news/news040906.htm

This is a two-year-old article which discusses how the toxic chemical MTBE continues to taint hundreds of drinking water wells across the state, despite the chemical being legally banned.



8.) http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/DPW/Docs/PDF/Groundwater03ReportSection5a.pdf

This is a data evaluation of Nassau County's groundwater system and aquifers from 2003. It discusses the potentially detrimental chemicals found in drinking water (including MTBE) in depth, as well as data on water usage in relation to temperature changes precipitation.



9.) http://www.oag.state.ny.us/press/reports/oil_spills/oil_spill.html

This is the Attorney State General of New York's site, which thoroughly discusses oil spills, the dangers of leaking underground storage tanks, and the fuel company's responsibility in such instances, among many other issues concerning oil spills.



10.) http://www.junkscience.com/news3/nylirbca.htm

This is a Newsday article from 1998 which discusses the threat leaking oil tanks pose to Long Island drinking water. I included it because I think it is important to recognize that this problem has been occurring on Long Island for a number of years.



11.) http://www.nyswaterfronts.com/final_draft_html/Tech_Report_HTM/PDFs/Chap2/Bulk_Storage_Facilities_and_Spills.pdf

This is a report on bulk storage facilities and bulk storage spills from 1999. Like the link above, it helps put the issue in perspective in relation to Nassau County's history of petroleum spills.



12.) http://www.planetark.com/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=11402

This is an article for the Daily News which discusses the 2001 lawsuit between one of one of one of the largest suppliers of drinking water on Long Island and Exxon Mobil Corp. which occurred because of water contamination due to MTBE from oil spills.



13.) http://www.riskworld.com/PressRel/2000/PR00a012.htm

This January 2000 article discusses the class action lawsuit between New York well owners and major oil companies.



14.) http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/06/28/nyregion/28water.html?n=Top%2FReference%2FTimes+Topics%2FSubjects%2FW%2FWater+Pollution&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1189073085-yD+GtSHz2Aifv4h98CripQ

This is a two-year-old New York Times article concerning four Nassau County communities which warned not to drink tap water because of possible MTBE contamination.



15.) http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/553641/health_alert_over_troubled_water_some_32000_in_nassau_warned/index.html

This Newsday article also discusses the contamination of drinking water by MTBE in 2006. The article also talks about how Long Island is a community especially susceptible to this type of problem because its population relies almost exclusively on groundwater.



16.) http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/759587/suit_over_mtbe_gets_green_light_water_districts_legal_fight/index.html?source=r_science

This 2007 article discusses a Plainview Water district lawsuit concerning MTBE water contamination on Long Island.



17.) http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/unregulated/mtbe.html

This site explains how MTBE contaminates water supplies, what to do if MTBE is found in your water supply, and how it is removed from water.



18.) http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts91.html

This site explains the most common and frequently asked health concerns associated with ingesting MTBE.



19.) http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/feature_articles/2006/mtbe2006/mtbe2006.pdf

This 2006 report from the Energy Information Administration discusses efforts to remove MTBE from drinking water. It also highlights ethanol supply and distribution in general and the demand and capacity for it.



20.) http://www.uwex.edu/farmandhome/wqpaap/pdf/mtbe.pdf

This is an MTBE guide for private well owners. It offers a checklist for identifying MTBE problems and resources for further information on the chemical.



21.) http://www.mtbelitigationinfo.com/go/site/942/

This site offers MTBE litigation information. It includes background information as well as lawsuits.



22.) http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/mtbeban/table1.html

This table shows the status and impact of State MTBE bans in relation to the percentage of total consumption of MTBE per state.



23.) http://www.ewg.org/reports/withknowledge/

This is a 2007 Environmental Working Group article which claims oil companies know more about the detrimental effects MTBE potentially have on human health, than they claim to