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Gold/Mining/Energy : Big Dog's Boom Boom Room -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: t4texas who wrote (27327)	11/22/2003 9:43:59 AM
From: John Carragher	Respond to of 206323

i think a piece of the problem is leaking tanks.. and the gasoline gets into the water table.. now you have a liability for contamination to peoples drinking water.. and once it gets into water table we can have problems for miles. Just yesterday in Santa Barbara, Ca. the major oil companies settled to put in wells to pump and filter the water. The alternative was to buy clean water for the city. Landmark MTBE settlement as Senate stews SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 21 (UPI) -- A settlement announced Friday will launch a clean-up of water wells in Santa Monica, Caif., that were contaminated by the gasoline additive MTBE. The deal calls for a trio of oil companies to design and build a filtration plant to remove the petrochemical from an underground well field at a rate of 7,000 gallons per minute. If approved, the agreement will end an eight-year legal battle over the clean-up. Santa Monica residents won't get stuck with the bill while the oil majors will be able eventually to get out of requirements they purchase millions of gallons of imported water for the city. The Senate has been at loggerheads in its debate on the Energy Bill over a so-called "safe harbor" provision shielding companies from MTBE product liability, but city officials told UPI the timing of the settlement was "a coincidence."

To: t4texas who wrote (27327)	11/23/2003 12:06:20 AM
From: energyplay	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 206323

The MTBE provision would hurt trial lawyers, one of the biggest donor groups to the Democratic party. This bill has a number of items that act as wedge issues, spliting the Democrats.

To: t4texas who wrote (27327)	11/23/2003 1:38:25 AM
From: whitepine	Respond to of 206323

t, I agree entirely. whitepine

To: t4texas who wrote (27327)	11/23/2003 4:44:01 AM
From: Mark Adams	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 206323

I don't know the full MTBE story. One thing I heard was the limit on liability removed the mfg from liability due to misuse outside of their control. Probably spin. An analogy might be holding the gun mfg liable for the kids accidental discharge. Another thing I heard was that the 'hydrophilic' properties were well known prior to it's adoption. Or the ability of a single drop of MTBE contaminating thousands of gallons of water. Quickly. Makes me wonder about those using well water, and gas powered yard gear. Small spills would seem commonplace. A few years ago, I heard it used what otherwise would have been a waste product. Converting a liability into an asset you might say. A stroke of genius, was the impression conveyed. I think in a Barrons article. Is this a case of regulators allowing profit driven lobbyist to set policy despite longer term concerns? Cannot the Tort lawyers add congress and/or regulators to the list of deep pockets? Why don't we dispose of our nuclear waste in a similar fashion?