Underground Storage Tanks

These resources provide state-specific information about methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE). In addition, links to organizations with MTBE-related resources are provided. For more MTBE topics, return to the MTBE main page.

 

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Arizona

• UST Program Interim Policy for Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Groundwater (PDF) (3 pp, 15K, About PDF) 2002.
  Prepared by Arizona's Department of Environmental Quality, this report provides policy guidance related to MTBE ground water contamination.

California

• California Leaking Underground Fuel Tank (LUFT) Historical Case Analyses (PDF) (63 pp, 726K, About PDF) 1995.
  Prepared by the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), the goal of this study is to support the revision of California's leaking underground fuel tank (LUFT) corrective action process. Analysis of case historical data, including information on fate and transport and impacts of releases, is presented.
• California MTBE Research Partnership Reports 2008.
  This Web page presents a bibliography of downloadable reports related to treatment technologies for MTBE, prepared by the California MTBE Research Partnership.
• Executive Summary of the Supply and Cost of Alternatives to MTBE in Gasoline Undated.
  Prepared by California's Energy Commission, this report explores a number of issues related to MTBE alternatives, including relevant legislation, incentive programs, consumer demand, and biomass resources.
• Fueling and Refueling Practices at California Marinas (PDF) (34 pp, 86K, About PDF) 1999.
  The purpose of this Advisory Panel report is to determine if any additional upgrades to fueling practices at marinas should be made in order to eliminate releases of MTBE.
• Geotracker--Geographic Environmental Information Management System 2008.
  Maintained by California's State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), GeoTracker is a geographic information system that provides online access to environmental data, including well, tank, and pipeline data from across of California.
• Leak History of New and Upgraded UST Systems (PDF) (8 pp, 20K, About PDF) 1999.
  This Advisory Panel report presents the results of a review of existing data on UST contamination sites to determine if there is a leak history associated with UST systems meeting the 1998 federal and state standards.
• Leak Source and Leak Detection Data Collection and Analysis (PDF) (27 pp, 90K, About PDF) 1999.
  This UST Team 3 report examines whether the standards for new and upgraded UST systems are adequate to protect water resources from MTBE contamination.
• MTBE in California Drinking Water 2008.
  Prepared by California's Department of Public Health, this Web page includes drinking water standards, maximum contaminant levels, and comprehensive evaluation of health and environmental effects of MTBE and other oxygenates.
• MTBE in California's Drinking Water: A Comparison of Groundwater Versus Surface Water Sources (PDF) (15 pp, 153K, About PDF) 2003.
  Published in Environmental Forensics, this paper examines MTBE occurrence in California's public drinking water, ground water, and surface water sources from 1995 to 2002.
• MTBE In Drinking Water 2005.
  Prepared by the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), this Web page provides MTBE-related legislation and cleanup information for California stakeholders.
• State Water Resources Control Board's Panel On the Leak History of New and Upgraded UST Systems - Oxygenate Compability and Permeability Report (PDF) (18 pp, 61K, About PDF) 1999.
  This UST Team 1 report presents the results of a literature review and industry survey to explore the compatibility of oxygenates, including methanol, ethanol, MTBE, ETBE, TAME, and DIPE, with materials used in underground storage tank systems.
• State Water Resources Control Board's Panel On the Leak History of New and Upgraded UST Systems - Upgrade UST Release Site Evaluation Case Studies (PDF) (44 pp, 143K, About PDF) 1999.
  This UST Team 2 report presents the results of an evaluation of upgraded UST sites where MTBE was present in the subsurface, in order to determine site-specific factors resulting in a release of MTBE.
• Upgraded UST Release Site Evaluation Case Studies (PDF) (44 pp, 143K, About PDF) 1999.
  This UST Team 2 report presents the results of an evaluation of upgraded UST sites where MTBE was present in the subsurface, in order to determine site-specific factors resulting in a release of MTBE.
  • Appendix II (Site Information) (PDF) (10 pp, 20K, About PDF)
    
• Water Quality Impacts of MTBE: An Update Since the Release of the UC Report (PDF) (15 pp, 270K, About PDF) 2001.
  Prepared for the Methanol Institute in 2001, this report provides a status update following a 1998 University of California report which suggested that MTBE would contaminate a significant number of surface and ground water resources in California through the year 2010.

Connecticut

• Evidence for Contamination of Heating Oil and Diesel Fuel with MTBE (PDF) (2 pp, 171K, About PDF) Undated.
  Published in L.U.S.T. Line, a technical newsletter for underground storage tank stakeholders, this article discusses research conducted by the University of Connecticut Hydrogeology Program which provides evidence for widespread contamination of heating oil and diesel fuel with MTBE.
• Robbins, G.A. and P. Zack. Connecticut Survey Finds MTBE-Contaminated Heating Oil and Diesel Fuel Statewide. June 2000. L.U.S.T. Line, Bulletin 35, pg 24-25.
• Use of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) As A Gasoline Additive 2004.
  In this report to the Connecticut General Assembly on the use of MTBE, the Department of Environmental Protection outlines five recommendations for dealing with MTBE as a gasoline additive.

Florida

• MtBE (Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether) Occurrence in Florida Drinking Water Systems Undated.
  This Web page, prepared by Florida's Department of Environmental Protection, provides information and links to resources related to MTBE in Florida.

Hawaii

• Requirements for Sampling and Analysis of Methyl tert-Butyl Ether on Soil and Groundwater at Underground Storage Tank Release Investigation Sites (PDF) (17 pp, 1.4MB, About PDF) 1998.
  Prepared by Hawaii's Department of Health, this report provides guidance related to MTBE contamination, sampling, and analysis at LUST sites.

Idaho

• An Evaluation of Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Groundwater at Leaking Underground Storage Tank Sites (PDF) (13 pp, 3.2MB, About PDF) 1999.
  Prepared by the Idaho Division of Environmental Quality, this study evaluates the threat to ground water posed by MTBE from releases at leaking underground storage tank sites in Idaho.

Iowa

• MTBE Occurrence in Iowa (PDF) (31 pp, 90K, About PDF) 2000.
  Published by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, this report presents the results of research on the presence and concentration of MTBE in Iowa's soil and ground water and a determination on whether the occurrence and levels are significant to warrant regulatory action.

Maine

• The Presence of MTBE and Other Gasoline Compounds in Maine's Drinking Water - A Preliminary Report 1998.
  Published by Maine's Bureau of Health, Bureau of Waste Management and Remediation, and Geological Survey, this report presents the preliminary findings from a study of statewide MTBE occurrence in Maine's drinking water.

Maryland

• Maryland's MTBE Journey: As States Continue to Tackle the MTBE Problem on Their Own (PDF) (32 pp, 792K, About PDF) 2005.
  Published in L.U.S.T. Line, a technical newsletter for underground storage tank stakeholders, this article presents information on MTBE in Maryland, including tracking, sources, and regulations.
• Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) Recent Developments 2008.
  Prepared by Maryland's Department of the Environment, this Web page provides information related to MTBE in the state, including water impacts, the governor's task force, and health and environmental impacts.
• The Task Force on the Environmental Effects of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), Final Report, December 2001 (PDF) (33 pp, 347K , About PDF) 2001.
  Prepared by a task force consisting of 16 members from government agencies, the petroleum and ethanol industries, and health-related professions, this report presents information on MTBE-related issues and recommendations to minimize and counteract MTBE's environmental and health risks.

Michigan

• Michigan MTBE Fact Sheet, March 2000 (PDF) (4 pp, 31K, About PDF) 2000.
  Prepared by Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality, this fact sheet provides background on MTBE in Michigan, including its use, presence in gasoline blends, and detection in the state's environment and drinking water.

Multi-State Reports

• Ramsden, D.K. and P. Hicks. The National Groundwater Quality Assessment and MTBE Trends. Soil Sediment & Groundwater. July/August 2002.
  This article evaluates MTBE trends in the National Water Quality Assessment.
• Report on Inter-Agency Meetings on MTBE, September 2000 (PDF) (17 pp, 62K , About PDF) 2000.
  This report presents the outcome of inter-agency meetings regarding MTBE.
• Summary Report on a Survey of State Experiences with MTBE and Other Oxygenate Contamination at LUST Sites (PDF) (30 pp, 105K, About PDF) 2003.
  Published by the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), this report presents the results of a survey of states and territories to determine how MTBE and other oxygenate contamination affects state LUST programs and the cleanup of contaminated sites. This is a follow up to the original 2000 survey.
• Survey of State Experiences with MTBE Contamination at LUST Sites (PDF) (6 pp, 25K, About PDF) 2000.
  Published by the NEIWPCC, this report presents the results of a survey of 50 states on the effect of MTBE contamination on state LUST programs and the cleanup of contaminated sites.
• Thomson, J.A.M. and J.W. McKinley. MTBE Occurrence in Surface and Groundwater. Soil Sediment & Groundwater. July/August 2002.
  This article summarizes state and regional studies of MTBE in surface and ground water.

Nevada

• NDEP Oxygenated Fuel Corrective Action Guidance 2007.
  Prepared by Nevada's Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP), this policy provides guidance on the cleanup of oxygenated fuel additives.

New Hampshire

• Gasoline in New Hampshire 2008.
  Prepared by New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services, this Web page provides links to a variety of publications on gasoline-related issues.
• MtBE in Drinking Water (PDF) (3 pp, 61K, About PDF) 2009.
  Prepared by New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services, this fact sheet provides information related to MTBE contamination in New Hampshire's drinking water, including health effects, remediation, and DES assistance.
• Moyer, E.E., J.A. Erickson, and F.J. McGarry. Correlation of MTBE Detections in New Hampshire Public Water Systems with Documented Potential Petroleum Sources. Soil Sediment & Groundwater. July/August 2002.
  This article explores the correlation between MTBE contamination and petroleum sources in New Hampshire.
• Tracking Troubling Vapor Releases in New Hampshire (PDF) (6 pp, 152K, About PDF) 2004.
  Published in L.U.S.T. Line, a technical newsletter for underground storage tank stakeholders, this article explores issues surrounding increasing levels of MTBE found at New Hampshire gas station sites where other contaminants were stable or decreasing.

New Jersey

• MTBE In New Jersey's Environment (PDF) (48 pp, 534K, About PDF) Undated.
  Prepared by New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection, this report summarizes and evaluates available information relevant to the use of MTBE in New Jersey and its occurrence in New Jersey's environment. Federal requirements, New Jersey regulatory standards, permit limits, monitoring requirements, data on occurrence, and background information are presented.

New York

• Analysis of the Gasoline Spill at East Patchoque, New York (PDF) (13 pp, 147K, About PDF) 1996.
  Published in the 1996 Proceedings of Aqueous Phase Liquids NAPLS in Subsurface Environment: Assessment and Remediation, this paper presents the results of research on MTBE and other contaminant plumes at a release from a service station in East Patchogue, Long Island, New York.
• Characteristics of Gasoline Releases in the Water Table Aquifer of Long Island (PDF) (11 pp, 42K, About PDF) 1999.
  Prepared by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation with input from EPA, this paper summarizes observations from four gasoline release cases in Long Island.
• USEPA MTBE Pilot Project Report: Objective 2 2008.
  Prepared by New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, this report presents the results of a pilot study to better define the extent of MTBE contamination stemming from previously unidentified and/or unreported MTBE blended gasoline releases throughout the Long Island aquifer system.

Pennsylvania

• MTBE Concentrations in Ground Water in Pennsylvania (PDF) (50 pp, 5.8MB, About PDF) 2003.
  This U.S. Geological Survey report examines MTBE occurrence in Pennsylvania aquifers and near release sites.

Washington

• Occurrence of Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Groundwater at Leaking Underground Storage Tank Sites in Washington (PDF) (23 pp, 106K, About PDF) 2000.
  Prepared by Washington's Department of Ecology, this report presents the results of a study assessing the occurrence and concentrations of MTBE in Washington's ground water in order to determine the need for regulatory action to protect public health and the environment.

 

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