Dear Editor: New Jersey’s drinking water faces a new and serious threat from the fuel additive Methyl Tertiary Buthy Ether (MTBE). The state Department of Environmental Protection reports that 400 private wells and 65 public wells in New Jersey already have been contaminated with MTBE. And New Jersey is not alone. A study released by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency last July concluded that traces of MTBE have been found in five to 10 percent of the drinking water nationwide where reformulated gas is sold. Incredibly, in seeking to rid the environment of one health risk, the federal government has actually created a new threat to public health. As part of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the federal government ordered 10 regions of the country “including New Jersey” to add two percent oxygenate to their gasoline in order to reduce carbon monoxide emissions. MTBE quickly became the fuel additive of choice because it was the least expensive way of meeting the federal requirement. The EPA report found that while MTBE is helping to reduce air pollution, the chemical is seeping into the water supply from leaking underground gas storage tanks and above ground pipelines. MTBE is highly soluble in water, and as a result, it moves more rapidly into groundwater than other components of gasoline. The EPA advises that any well with MTBE levels of over 70 parts per billion be cleaned up. High levels of MTBE have been found to cause cancer in animals. Although we still don’t know all the potential dangers of drinking water tainted with MTBE, we can never be too cautious where the public health is concerned. That is why I have been spearheading the drive in Congress to ban MTBE. Recently, 60 Minutes aired a report that contains compelling evidence on the need to ban MTBE and to take additional steps to protect the public health. The report demonstrated that despite the seriousness of the contamination, there is a frightening lack of knowledge about the health risks associated with ingesting or inhaling MTBE. 60 Minutes also presented disturbing evidence that both the federal Environmental Protection Agency and a number of oil companies withheld from Congress and the American people information about the danger of MTBE contaminating the water supply. The time has come to launch a full-scale attack on MTBE before any more water supplies are threatened with MTBE contamination. I have taken additional actions to protect the public from the potential health risks posed by this fuel additive. First, I’ve called on the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into the EPA’s decision to order the introduction of reformulated gasoline. Specifically, the investigation would focus on when the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the oil companies learned of the potential dangers to the nation’s water supply from MTBE and why nothing was done to stop the chemical from being added to gasoline. Next, I have introduced legislation that will require the National Institute of Health to conduct a comprehensive study into the potential health effects of ingesting and inhaling MTBE. In addition, I am sponsoring legislation that would require drinking water systems in areas where reformulated gasoline is mandated to immediately begin testing for MTBE. Finally, I will be renewing my efforts to get both the Clinton Administration and the leadership in Congress to take immediate action to stop the use of MTBE as a fuel additive. The evidence is overwhelming. The introduction of MTBE into gasoline was a serious mistake. It’s time to end this risky experiment and begin to search for better, safer ways to clean our air while we protect our precious supply of drinking water. Rep. Bob Franks (D-7th Dist.)